Something Unexpected
by Natfanfirst
Summary: John McBain, FBI Agent, comes to Llanview chaseing a racketeering ring and meets sexy Forensic Tech Natalie Buchanan. What happens when they begin to mix business with pleasure?
1. Chapter 1

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**Chapter 1**

"What can I get you guys?" the bar tender asked John Mcbain along with two other Federal Agents that entered a Bar called Jakes just ten miles outside of Llanview.

"Beers, what ever you've got on draft" John answered as he, Tony, and Billy cased the place. They were on their way to Llanview to investigate a string of recent rapes that the government believed was linked to one of their open cases. The road was getting tiresome and the night late so they decided to stop for a few beers.

"So Johnny man, whats up with the Boss and you... the two of you never seem to get along and now you--- Wowzer! Will ya look at the rack on that honey of a babe?" Billy said getting slightly sidetracked as he watched a knockout Redhead with a stacked body walk into the bar. As a matter of fact, she walked right passed them a bit as they sat at the bar and over to the bartender.

John along with Tony's eye's joined Billy's to see the Hot thing dressed in a skimpy red top with a plummeting neck line showing off ever nook and granny of her voluptuous breasts. Her skirt was mid point between her knee and her... her... She wore black boots up her legs and Billy was drooling so much that he was becoming dehydrated.

John saw the very attractive Redhead from Behind...a very nice behind he added but ignored it. He wasn't that type of person, a player like Billy, or even like Tony. JOhn Mcbain had been hurt to many times in life to be such a thing. He turned after seeing the gorgeous thing stand next to him and he faced the bar.

"The usual...Red?" The bartender asked her and he winked at her. She smiled and nodded yes.

Natalie Buchanan looked around the Bar quickly as she entered it, nothing, no one stood out to her. She took her place at the bar near a few very eager looking gentlemen. She positioned herself just right, Played things just right. Hoping tonight would be the night. She looked towards the Bartender as he brought her, her shot of whiskey. She could see the sandy haired gentleman sitting two stools down salivating on the counter. She laughed to herself.

"Hey, watch this Johnny... I'll be in here pants in no time" Billy whispered in his ear as he got up and moved to the empty space on the other side of her.

"Hey beautiful... Can I buy you another?" Billy asked Nat as she turned to look at him. He was a bit amazing, she thought… Cute even... She smiled at him.

"Maybe" she said a bit seductively. Maybe tonight wouldn't be so boring after all, she told herself as she gave him a sexy smile.

John sat and watched as his friend... his co-worker put the moves on the Redhead. He smiled as he looked to Tony.

"Can you believe this kid, he thinks he's all that doesn't he?" He said to Tony and He laughed.

"Yeah well, he has good reason to think that, he usually can charm the pants off them" Tony told him as they observed Billy and Natalie flirting.

John watched as this much younger Agent was pulling out all the stops. He was good, John thought and She was definitely a looker. She seemed to be falling for it when he listened closely to hear how this punk would seal the deal.

"You know I don't have much time tonight, just passing thru on my way to somewhere else for work" Billy told Nat, She stared into his eye's.

" Really... What kind of work are you in?" She asked and Billy knew this was what was going to get him in, in her pants, it had worked at least a hundred times before.

"I'm a Federal Agent," he told her and John shook his head next to him. JOhn laughed even as he continued to listen.

"Really" Nat said with a bright smile

"As in FBI? Like a G-man and stuff" she asked and he returned the smile.

"Yup, wanna see my badge?" he asked grinning. Billy knew she realized the underlying massage in his question.

"Maybe... is it a big badge? " She said and John who was still observing just about choked on the beer he had just sipped.

"I've heard Feds have bigger badges than most, is that true?" She asked as he leaned his hand over to her arm. Billy slightly caressed her arm up and down.

"I don't know, maybe you should be the judge of that, is there somewhere we can go?" he asked and she looked at him. She smiled

"Yeah, follow me FBI man" she said and she lead him to the Ladies room. She saw him get a curious look on his face. Natalie checked into the bathroom and then peeked her head back out to him.

"All clear... G-man "she said and he followed her in.

John and Tony sat and watched as their friend went into the ladies room with the easy Redhead. They turned away after a few seconds still Shaking their heads as they faced the bar.

"I hope he knows we don't have all night" John told Tony and they both continued to laugh out loud. A few minutes later John noticed her, the redhead.

John watched as she went to the Bartender and handed him clothes. John Laughed and then she approached them, him, and Tony.

"Here" she said as she handed JOhn Billy's Badge and Gun even.

"Tell him it was so good" She said, she smirked at John as their eyes locked for a minute. JOhn was still laughing and then... then he saw her eye's, her beautiful blues, he locked onto them with his. A few seconds went by as they heard a scream come from the bathroom. They all looked to see an older women running out of it mad.

"Call the cops... there's a naked man in there" The women told the bartender.

Natalie smiled and hurried herself a bit out of the bar, glancing back only once to catch a glimpse at eye's that seem to fascinate her.


	2. Chapter 2

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**Chapter 2**

John and his Fed pals walked into the Llanview Police station bright and early the next day. It was almost seven am and they observed the small station as they walked up to a desk in the middle of the room.

"Excuse Me, We have an appointment with Commissioner Buchanan" John told the quite Friendly Receptionist as he saw Billy step in front of him.

"And your names would be?" Ann asked as she saw the Sandy haired man.

"You can call me what ever you want sweetheart" Billy said flirty as JOhn slap him across his chest.

"Did you not learn your lesson last night?" JOhn told Billy in a reprimanding voice. Billy just laughed it off.

"Where from the FBI office in Philly" John told Ann. Ann Buzzed the commissioner. Within a few minutes Bo Buchanan stepped out of his closed office door and walked right over to the three gentlemen.

"Bo Buchanan" he said as he shook Johns' hand

"Agent John Mcbain, This is Agent Billy Finn, and Agent Tony Drago."

"Nice to meet you men, I've been expecting you, Please come in" Bo told them and he led them to his office.

The three men entered and they all started to converse on the case. Within a few minutes Bo got a Buzz thru his intercom from Ann.

"Yes Ann"

"Sorry commissioner but you told me to let you know when Natalie was in" Ann told him.

"Thank you, I'll be out in a second, " Bo told him and he turned to leave for a few seconds

"Excuse me for a second" Bo told them as he went out into the hall to speak with his niece.

JOhn along with the other agents stood waiting on commissioner Buchanan.

"So the Blond at the front desk was hot, huh?" Billy said and John laughed, this man was so irritating. He shook his head and Saw Bo Buchanan start to walk back into his office followed by a few men that seem to be detectives.

"Agents... these are my undercover Detectives who have been working the Rape case, we're just waiting on one more of my Detectives, She went to get some files." Bo told them and then he introduced the agents and his Detectives.

Natalie had gotten the files from her desk. Her uncle had told her that he needed them for a meeting in his office. She hurried into his office looking down at them. She didn't notice that all eyes are turned to see her as she did. She looked up and right into the eyes of the jerk from last night. She laughed a little, she should have known.

John saw her walk in, the beautiful stacked redhead from last night. He laughed as he saw Billy's face as he realized it. Billy turned red in the face and he looked mad as hell.

Bo Buchanan started introducing Natalie,

"Detective Vega this is Tony Drago, JOhn Mcbain" Bo said, Natalie smiled at Tony first and shook his hand, and then she was introduced to John. She smiled a bit brighter at him and gazed into those baby blue eyes. Then it was time for Bo to introduce the next agent.

"This is agent. B--" Bo started to say and Nat cut off his words,

" Buck... Buck Naked" Natalie told him and everyone in the room but Agent Billy laughed. One of the other Detectives in the room turned to Natalie.

"Are you kidding... this is Buck fro last night. The one we have on tape? The one with the Big Badge?" He asked her and she nodded yes. The other two detectives in the room started laughing even more. Bo however missed the joke.


	3. Chapter 3

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**Chapter 3**

"Okay, did I just miss something?" Bo asked as he looked at his Niece and the other officers laughing hysterically. He also looked at the Federal Agents, They too were laughing. Suddenly Natalie brought about the sudden stop of Laughter.

Natalie knew she had to be mature about it; she had to apologize for her immature stunt. The stunt of getting Agent Billy naked in the ladies room. She chuckled out loud one last time in amusement before she approached him.

" I'm very sorry about my little stunt... I... was a little bored and I really did at first thing you were sort of cute...that was... until you opened up your mouth." She told him and Billy smiled sort of.

"Well apology accepted " Billy said as he reached out to shake her hand. She shook it back and noticed along with everyone else in the room that he didn't let it go so quickly. Was he trying to prove a point? She thought and she pulled her hand back as her snide remarks came.

"You know... those lines..." she said and she laughed " its a wonder anyone falls for those words... but then again... I figured you're all not that into someone with brains," She said and she turned around after saying the words. She looked at her uncle who didn't seem too amused. Everyone else in the room stayed silent. A few snickers from Nat's fellow Detectives were all that was heard.

"Detective Vega... cool it." Bo told her as he looked at her. She nodded her head.

"Now that all the fun is over lets talk about why the feds are so interested in a serial rape case." Bo said.

John had been observing this whole time. The Red head... Natalie Vega... She was amusing, funny, full of life and energy and he couldn't forget beautiful. He watched as she so gracefully walked around the room speaking of her case, of The LPD's case. She was confident and smart too, he thought, as he just couldn't keep his blue eyes off of her.

John was brought out of his thoughts when he heard her say his name. What a sweet tone she had when she said it, how easily it came off her lips.

"Its now your turn Agent Mcbain" She said and he smiled briefly not exactly knowing why. It was a bit unusual for him to smile at anyone, for any reason, and the other two agents picked up on it.

"Its John" He said towards her and their eyes locked for a second, a brief wonderful second. John then turned his body so no one would suspect that he was only really interested in speaking to her. He started walking around the room telling the reasoning's why the feds were involved or needed to be involved in this case. How they would have to work together. The Feds and the police department.

John explained that there seem to be some connection with the sudden rapes and organized crime. The government was looking for a player high up in the chain who was wanted for racketeering.

"So, you're looking for Petey Santorio. What exactly does that have to do with our case?" Natalie asked after John took a small pause.

"Your rapist... we believe may be Petey's brother Pauly"

"Yeah, and how did you figure that?"

"From what we've read of the rapes, the occurrences, the acts themselves, they seem the same with a few that occurred while Pauly was in Philly a month ago. Similar in every way that counts. And... You found some type of ring at one of the crime scenes" John stopped pacing right in front of Natalie, he looked right at her.

"The ring was a family thing, Petey's got one too" John said and Natalie looked at him.

Natalie looked at this man standing in front of her, dark. She thought he was dark, and smart, maybe even sexy... She saw him look at her as if looking thru her. He had the most beautiful blue eyes. Yeah, she told herself. Sexy as Hell.

"So you need us to catch Pauly so he can lead you to Petey Huh?" She asked him as he was still looking at her. A small smile formed on his face. She was so damn smart. " Yep, exactly, and we're willing to help catch this guy, Pauly" John said and Natalie took a step back, she looked at the other detectives. The quiet Detectives.

"So we find this guy arrest him for all these horrible acts he's done to women in our community and then what? Hand him over to you, so you can what exactly... get him to give up his brother in return for immunity?" She asked, as she knew everyone in this room wasn't going to be too happy about the possible answer.

John shook his head. This wasn't going to be an easy one. " Detective Vega..." John started to say as she cut him off "Natalie" She said correcting him, if she could call him by his first name, the same went for her.

John just nodded his head. "Natalie... the FBI isn't in any position to comment on what will happen after we find Pauly Santoria," He said and he had a distinct feeling his wording wouldn't go over to well. Not with detective Vega, nor with the other LPD detectives.

Natalie heard him, she knew that what she just explained would be the case, she had her own run ins with the Feds before and they played dirty if they had to.

" Well Agent Mcbain..." Natalie said feeling a bit Mad, it was written all over her face. Bo saw Nat's face, he knew she was about to blow. He knew she wasn't a big fan of Federal Agents and she had good reason not to be. He stepped in.

"Natalie... before you start... they have their job to do... we have ours" Bo told her. He looked at her and then to his other Detectives who like Natalie were not happy about the situation. Bo pleaded with his eyes for her not to start. She mouthed a "fine " to him as he walked passed her.

The conversation about Pauly went on for a few hours, The LPD shared all there evidence with the Feds and informed them of what they were doing to try and catch this guy. How it seemed Pauly's MO was going from Bar to Bar in the area, picking up loose women and then before they even made it to a hotel. Pauly would rape them, beat them and leave them for dead almost. Violent crimes against women was all Natalie could see in her mind as She and her detectives told of their non-luck.

"So... lets all go back to work and catch this guy... Nat... You're going to Jake's again tonight?" Bo asked and she nodded. " Good, he hasn't hit there yet and it's only a matter of time before he does. Lets be there to catch him" Bo said and his Detectives started walking out of the office, leaving John and his co workers still standing there.

"And Nat..." Bo said and she turned to him " No more stunts" He said and he smiled at her. She smiled back " and I mean it!" He said, she chuckled again. " Yes sir... what ever you say sir" She said smiling and looking passed him for a moment to Agent Buck... Billy.

"Be careful Nat" Bo also added. Natalie looked at her Uncle " I'm always careful" she said and she laughed. She walked out into the hall.

"Commissioner thank you for your help" John told Bo and Bo nodded.

John, Tony, and Billy walked out of Bo's office and watched as the officers around the station glared at them. John looked around the station quickly to try and see her. See this Detective Vega who although he didn't know why in intrigued him. No such luck at finding her. He turned to the other agents. " Time for lunch" John said and they were out the door.

Natalie walked into Rodi's. She walked over to Mac behind the counter, placed her order, and went to the pool table. She began playing pool as she saw him, them walk into the bar. She shook her head; she really didn't need to see the Feds here right now. Right now she needed to clear her head, get it on straight even. How the Feds would most likely let this rapist get away with his crimes so they could catch a bigger fish turned her stomach. She shook it off. She would just play pool and not even acknowledge them, not even talk to them.

"Shit!" she said out loud as she saw him lock eyes with her. He was even walking over.

John walked into the bar with the guys. They were all a bit grumpy especially Billy. They went to sit at a table and he saw her. She was playing pool. She seemed to be caught up in thought and he knew he probably shouldn't approach her but he did. He smiled as he walked over to her. His eye's locked on to her blue and he continued to walk over.

"Detective" he said nodding his head a bit. "Agent" she said in a clear tone. They just stood for a few minutes staring at each other. Into each other even. After a few minutes Mac called out to Natalie and broke the silence of their stares.

"Hey Nat... I hate to ask this but... Saturday night... if your not working... can you cover me for a few hours, Its my anniversary, gotta take the Mrs out for a while." he asked her and she smiled.

"What time are we talking about Mac, I gotta work but not till late," She asked

"7-10 maybe?"

"Yeah, I can cover, wouldn't want you to be in the dog house" she told him with a bright smile. John just observed. Her smile, her voice even, and those eye's. He was getting chills and he didn't know why.

Mac left them alone and Natalie went back to playing pool never looking back up at him. John just stood watching her move around the pool table, gracefully. He watched her take accurate shot after shot and he smiled.

"Whats so amusing Agent Mcbain?" She asked and she smirked a bit. She didn't want to but she did. John didn't say another word as he went to the rack of sticks on the wall. He took one down and went to the pool table. He saw her look at him, he motioned to her if it was alright if he took the next shot.

Natalie tipped her head slightly letting him know it was alright for him to shoot. He did and he made the shot, a pretty hard shot.

John made the shot, not an easy one and he looked up at her. He smiled a bit and she smiled a bit back. He went to take another one.

After a few minutes of pool shooting and smiles Natalie finally spoke.

"Wanna play, for real this time?" she asked him

"Yeah, I'd love to, wanna play for something?" he asked in almost a flirty tone. She got a serious look on her face and then smirked. She looked over to the table in the back of the bar. The table where agent Tony and Buck sat. She smirked more.

"How about clothes?" she said and he laughed. He shook his head and she racked the balls.


	4. Chapter 4

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**Chapter 4**

"So Detective Vega... How long have you been a cop, a detective " JOhn asked her after almost an hour of shooting pool. He didn't know why, he seemed to be getting a bit nervous around her all of a sudden. He wasn't so bad when he first came over to play but then... then he watched as she lined up her shots, leaned over the pool table even. He got some not so wholesome images of her in his head and then he started being nervous around her. He just couldn't seem to shake it at the moment. John even looked over to Billy and Tony at the table once or twice and they were smirking. Egging him on so to speak, as if they thought he was putting some type of moves on her. He wasn't. He told himself, he even shook his head. He wasn't that person; he hadn't ever been that person.

John heard her say something while he was lost in thought and then asked her to repeat it.

"You first Agent Mcbain, how long have you been FBI?" she asked as she stood up straight after making her shot.

John heard her question finally after his thought was cleared. He smiled as he had a feeling this wouldn't be so easy. How he already had a feeling, a sense even of who Detective Natalie Vega was. Maybe how she even came to be. To be the fascinating creature in front of him.

"Okay... you wanna know how long... eight years, I've been FBI for eight long years" he told her and turned to her. He stood in front of her and stared for a second, he was about to open up his mouth and tell her it was her turn. But Natalie opened up hers first.

"How long were you a cop before that?" She asked and he smiled again. He noted to himself that he didn't think he had smiled this much in all of his life. She just did something to him, just made him want to smile at her.

"Five years" he told her and she was already on her next question almost before he got the words out.

"Why'd you go into law enforcement?"

"Is this how you drill suspects cause if it is I can see how you made Detective so fast." He said smirking. Natalie just looked at him.

"How do you know I made Detective fast?" She asked him curious

"I can tell"

"How?" She rebutted back quickly

"You must have... you're so young to be a detective and..." he was cut off by her words

"And Beautiful" she said as she looked at him, she actually got a weird feeling come over her. Was he trying to play her like his friend, was he another Federal agent who was trying to take advantage of her? She asked herself and she shook her head. 'Playtime was over. Time to get real' she said to herself in her head.

"I'm neither Young nor Beautiful Agent Mcbain," She told him as she started getting her stuff together.

John watched her disposition change. They seem to be getting along so well, playing pool, relaxing even. Then something happened. His comment about her being young. And her own comment about her being beautiful. Did she think he was going to say that? Did she think he was making a play for her? He asked himself as he watched her pack up her stuff.

"Did I say something to offend you? I wasn't going to say you were beautiful...I...I" he started to stutter. She just looked at him." I mean you are...threes no denying that but I wouldn't... I... I'm not like them... I'm not like that, that's not me," he told her and she stopped for a brief second. Natalie studied his eyes. They seem to be sincere. She was about to say she believed him, his words but then she remembered. Remembered another Federal agent telling her word not so long ago, words similar, words that held no truth. Words she fell for.

Natalie knew her judgment was off when it came to G-men, Feds. She shook her head.

"Agent Mcbain..." she started saying. " JOhn" he reminded her. "Federal Agent Mcbain" she said purposely.

"I'm going to be honest with you, cause that's who I am. I'm not that fond of Feds. Of you federal agents who pretend to be friends. That lie to solve there case and not give a shit who... or...what gets in your way... Federal agents trick and ruin peoples lives. So as for offending me... yeah... you actually offend me by being one of them." She said a bit harsh and he watched her walk to the door. She waved to the bar tender and she was gone.

John heard her words and he was now curious. Curious to what had made her feel this way about the Feds in general. He didn't know why but it bothers him. He didn't know her, didn't plan on getting involved with her but...but it just seem to bother him. John walked over to the table with Tony and Billy sitting at it watching her.

"You struck out to huh? She's a hard one to crack... I mean to get naked," Billy said.

"Shut the Fuck up Buck" John said nasty and Tony burst out laughing.

"You're pissed cause she wouldn't give you the time of day either, that you couldn't get in her P--"

"Say it Billy and I'm going to kick your ass across this bar, got me?" JOhn said still mad.

"Alright boys... play nice or I'll tell mom" Tony said and john just gave a snide glare towards Billy.

"Fine, I'll see you guys back at that flea bag hotel the government rented for us." Billy said and left them sitting there. After Billy was completely gone Tony turned to John.

"Now... whats really up your ass?" he said and John just looked at him.

"Not sure really..." John told him not really being able to put his finger on it

"She... Detective Vega... She doesn't trust Feds for some reason, and I'm not exactly sure why."

" you like her" ton told him smiling a bit, he knew his friend, his co-worker. He never had any interest in anyone. He never cared what anyone or anything thought of him.

"No, don't be ridiculous, you know me, I don't like anyone."

"No... You like her, its written all over your face. It's bothering you that she won't trust you and that she thinks all us feds are bad people. If you didn't like her...It wouldn't matter or be bothering you" Tony told him. John however was not amused or believing anything he was saying.

"I don't wanna talk about this anymore, she has whatever reasons not to trust me, us, and that's her problem. Lets get back to the hotel and figure out what we can do to flush Petey out." John told Tony and they left the Bar.

Three hours later John walked into Jakes bar. He left Tony and Billy at the hotel going over files, research. He knew she was working tonight, trying to lure this rapist to come after her, that was what they had walked in on last night.

John wore a pair of faded jeans and a black t-shirt. Not normal Government suites but ordinary clothes to blend in. He looked around the bar searching for her. After a few minutes he saw her. Damn! Did he see her? Her clothes were even sexier than last night's attire. He shook his head, as he couldn't keep his eyes from her. He took her in, all of her, from her beautiful cascading hair to her black high heels. John shook his head again, damn! There would be no way a woman of his would ever be out dressed liked that, even if it was for work.' a woman like mine' he said to himself questioning. A few thoughts ran thru his head. Was she even single? And why did he just think about that? And now?

John was brought out of his thoughts as a waitress approached him. He ordered a beer from the waitress and he took a seat at a table. He just studied the place, looking at all the people. He studied her... her body... her... He watched to see if any strange men were paying special attention to her.

Natalie sat at the bar. She was dressed a bit to slutty for her taste again but she knew that was what the rapist liked. So she did it, anything to get this guy off the streets of Llanview. Having him out there made her afraid, not for herself, but for her family, her sister, and her friends.

Natalie sat for a few hours bored almost, she tapped her fingers on the counter, and she was becoming very antsy. She saw a few people from the seats next to her get up to dance as they heard the jukebox play a slow song. She followed them with her eyes as she watched them sway back and forth. She smiled to herself. ' New love' she told herself ' what I wouldn't give for new love, fresh love' she again said inside. She continued to smile.

John watched her closely as she studied the people dancing on the dance floor. She was smiling from ear to ear. She was so damn beautiful even if she was dressed so damn sexy, like a whore even. He saw her almost swaying in her seat as she watched them. He didn't think, he got up from his seat. John walked over to her. He tapped her on the shoulder.

Natalie turned slowly as she felt a shock go thru her body. She looked right at him, into his eyes. She seemed to be hypnotized by them when she saw him place his hand out for her. Without words she took it, held it and he led her over to the dancing couples on the dance floor.

John placed his arm around her waist, and placed his other hand in hers, he guided her around the dance floor slowly. Natalie studied his eyes. The eye's she said she wouldn't and didn't think she could trust earlier. She watched them in silence. They never broke eye contact and she saw him do something. Something she knew at that moment she wouldn't stop, that she just didn't want to even if she had the strength to.

JOhn held her close, so close, she was letting him, and it felt amazing. He was unsure why it felt so good. But it just did, his fingers intertwined in hers perfectly he noted and he just looked into her stunning eye's. He was unsure what made him do it; this wasn't something he just did. But. But he leaned his lips in; he had to just taste her. He pulled her body towards him even closer and he tasted her lips. Her sweet taste.

John kissed her tenderly on the lips, it lastly a whole thirty seconds but the memory of it would last so much longer. She pulled away from him after the kiss. She stared into his eyes for a few minutes. His beautiful soulful eye's and she forgot for a minute that she had her mic. In and on. She forgot everyone in the van across the street could hear them, see them.

"Why? Why did you just do that?" She asked shaken up a bit. That kiss, the way it made her feel. It got to her

John looked into her eyes for a few minutes. He shook his head ' amazing' he said to himself. He heard her words and then remembered about the Mic. She was most likely wearing. JOhn said the first thing that came to his mind.

" I thought it would add to your cover, you know... if he's here he'll think you're real easy" John said and for some reason he had a feeling she would take this the wrong way. But what was the right way... He asked himself. Even he didn't know the answer to that one.

Natalie heard his words and for some odd reason she was disappointed in them. They stung actually. Hurt somewhat. She froze for a few minutes as she realized that kiss obviously was for undercover reasons. A stunt by a Fed, anything they had to do to make their case, to break their case. She was being stupid again, just like those years ago, two years ago to be exact. She put on a fake covering face and nodded her head to him. She walked back over to the bar and noticed he didn't even bother following.

John felt like he had done enough damage by his lack of control, by kissing her like that and then by letting her think it was all for the case. He left the bar, he saw the Surveillance van parked up the block some as he got into his car and waited for her to be finished for the night.

Natalie sat on the stool at the bar, she lost track of him after the kiss and she was thankful it seemed he left. Her heart seemed to still be beating factly from the kiss although it occurred over an hour ago. She shook her head. 'Ignore it, he's a fed, remember what happened last time you got involved with a fed' she told herself as Jake at the bar called last call.

Natalie took herself off the stool and walked to her car. She called Bruce and Larry in the Van and told them that she was heading home. She drove towards her place.

John saw her drive away from the bar, no one followed her. Not the rapist nor the other Detectives. He followed a short distant behind her and then stopped his car almost short as he saw her walk into the same hotel he and the other agents were staying at.

He walked in behind her just catching a glimpse of her as she walked the stairs towards the roof. He followed her up and didn't stop till he was standing behind her as she gazed at the stars.

Natalie went out on the roof, her favorite place to be after a long night with nothing. She started looking up at the stars when she was pretty sure she heard the door of the roof open, she turned quickly and was ready to pull her gun. She saw him, in the moonlight. In the dark and although after the kiss incident she should be more careful. She should just ignore him or tell him to leave. She just stared.

John too just stared at her in the dark, in the moonlight. She was beautiful in the moonlight, she was just beautiful, and she intrigued him. No one had ever had an affect on him like this after such a short period of time, one day to be exact. No one or nothing made him like this. He longed for her at this very moment, he wasn't sure what exactly it was he felt other than want, but he wanted her, and bad.

There's something magical in this moonlight she told herself as she felt herself slipping away. All reasonable thoughts left her body and were replaced by hunger. By desire. Natalie wanted him. For some strange reason, she wanted a man she knew for one day. 'Another Fucking Federal Agent' she told herself but she didn't ignore the desire building in her for him.

They moved closer after a few minutes of intent staring.

"What do you want Agent Mcbain?" She asked heated by just his name on her lips.

John's eyes got a deeper shade of blue, he closed the distance between him, he pushed her gently back ten feet to a brick wall support. He didn't say a word; he didn't move a muscle on any part of his body for a second as he brought his hands to her low cut blouse. He placed both hands on either side of the blouse and yanked it open urgently. His hand went in between her blossoms to the middle part of her push up bra. He let his fingers glide around in between her breasts as he roughly pulled out a small mic.

John held the mic. In his hands, he looked at her. Her face was flushed and she was making no attempts to stop him or walk away. JOhn threw the mic. To the floor, he stepped on it and rakishly started taking her breasts with his mouth.


	5. Chapter 5 Smut

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**Chapter 5**

John took his mouth, his tongue and started digging it into her bra as he reached his hand behind her and undid her bra clasp.

Natalie moved her hand down to the front of his jeans. She started to undo his button and then his zipper. She felt him unhook her bra and then she felt him help to guide it off her and onto the floor. Natalie wasted no time as she brought her hand into his pants and held him. She saw him look at her as he felt her hand start to stroke him.

John looked into her eyes. He didn't care that they shouldn't be doing this. That he knew nothing about her. They knew nothing about each other. He wanted her and it was apparent by the way she was touching him that she wanted him too. His Mouth moved down onto her exposed breast as he felt her actions on his penis quicken a bit.

John's warm tongue nipped at her enlarged breasts, her hard nipples. He flicked them with his tongue, one by one over and over for a few minutes as he felt her head go back against the wall. As she no longer was able to reach his erection. He saw her close her eyes and he brought his hand to her face. He touched her cheek and she opened her eye's to look straight into his. No words were needed and he backed up from her.

Natalie saw him back up and she came off the wall. They stood for a few minutes just gazing at the other till she spoke.

"I live one flight down" She said and he smiled. He picked up her Bra off the floor for her. She pulled what was left of her shirt together. She took his hand and led him down the stairs.

They came upon her door, she pulled out the key, and he pinned her against it. He took her mouth with his and she forgot for a minute what she was doing.

John saw the affect he had on her and he couldn't keep the grin off his face. It had been a long time since he saw such desire for himself in anyone. In their eye's or their face even. He saw she was unable to concentrate on opening her door. He took the key from her as he kissed her gently and opened it.

John unlocked her door and pulled her with him as he pushed it open. Their Bodies clung to each other. Their Lips stuck together as he slammed the door shut with his foot. Never breaking any kind of physical contact they started to quickly shed their clothes.

Still kissing deeply Natalie threw what was left of her blouse to the floor. She started to push at her pants when his hand came upon hers. He held his hand over hers and pushed her pants down her legs. Their Lips briefly parted as she pulled her pants off her legs. She moved her body back up to push her panties down when he was already guiding them down. Enjoying the feel of her skin as he did.

Off she threw her panties on the floor next to her other clothes. It was now his time and he knew it. She started running her hands over his large biceps. Almost exciting she more as she brought her hand to the bottom of his shirt. She tugged it up and he pulled his arms up so it came up and over his head.

Natalie smiled as she saw his bare chest. She licked her lip; she had to taste his chest. She moved forward and started kissing and licking down his strong chest. She licked all the way down to his undone pants.

Natalie got down on her knees as she lowered his pants and boxers to his ankles. She pushed him back a few feet till he was standing up against the wall of her living room. She looked up at him; she licked her dry lips and started to lick his erection.

Natalie started at the base, she licked him up to his tip and then back down again. Over and over for a few minutes till she saw him close his eyes. She grinned and took him into her mouth. She got lost in her own actions for a few minutes when she pulled him in deeper and deeper. She felt his hands tangle in her red locks. She felt him help to guide her mouth on his erection. Over and over she took him as she started to get carried away with herself.

John couldn't lose it like this now; he wanted to be inside her center, inside the place where the control came from. He wanted to be inside her when she lost all control.

John pulled on her head, her hair. She felt him try and pull out of her mouth, She felt him try and pull her up, and she didn't want to. She wanted to do this. She wanted to take his control, all of it. She continued her actions as she heard the words.

"You're making me lose control," he told her and she automatically stopped. She smiled. She stood up. Looked into his face, as she saw him open his eyes.

John felt her stop. He opened his eyes slowly. He saw her staring at him intently. She was smiling and he smiled back. He brought his mouth to hers. Brought his hands to her breasts and started to fondle them. His thumbs found her nipples and he started rubbing them back and forth.

Natalie was panting so deeply. His large thumbs on her hard nipples, his fiery touch. His amazing lips on hers. His tongue. She couldn't breath and then he lowered his mouth to her breasts. To her Nipples. Licking and flicking as He moved his hand to her center. He felt inside, Wet and warm. Ready for him.

Natalie felt his finger dip inside her and she was more than ready. She backed up off the wall taking him with her. She backed them up to her sofa. She turned them around and she pushed him back onto it.

John gave her a gazed look as she moved them and pushed him onto the sofa. She looked so determined and so beautiful with sweat running down her face. He pulled on her hips and pulled her on top of him.

Natalie felt him pull her down on him. She positioned herself on his erection so she was straddling him. She felt him fill her and she let out a moan.

John heard her sounds. They were just as beautiful as she was. He moved himself pushing inside her deeper.

Natalie widened her straddle as wide as possible and allowed him to get deeper inside her. Pushed deeper inside her. She started to move her hips up and down with his motions as she sat on him.

She looked directly into his face as she began to arch her back up a bit. John's mouth pulled forward and latched on to her breasts. Her nipples. He started suckling over and over as he heard more beautiful sounds come form her mouth.

"Agent Mcbain" She said loudly and he smiled.

"John" he told her and she grinned with closed eye's. She was so close... So close

"Johnnnnnnnnnnnnn" She screamed out as he drove into her with one powerful push them brought them both to their orgasms.

His orgasm was over; she peaked but was starting again. She continued to ride him for a few more minutes as she completed it all. All of it. As soon as she was finally finished her body became limp on his and her back started to fall back.

John felt her body become limp and start to fall back. He placed his arms around her back and supported her up sitting on him still. He saw her eye's open and for a minute there he wasn't sure what was going to happen.

Their moment of weakness was over and now what? He knew what he wanted to do. He would Love to just hold her tight for a little while. But...But was that what was going to happen? Was that what she wanted? Or what she was accustomed too? He looked into her eyes and he heard her speak.

"Now what?" she said and he pushed a piece of hair off her face. He tucked it behind her ear.

"Good question... Do you have a bed in this place?" he asked her and she got a bit confused. She nodded yes.

John started to get up with her still sitting on his lap. He took her with him when he stood. He walked a few feet into another room. He carried her with him as he walked towards the bed. He laid her down on the bed. John lay down next to her. He pulled her still naked body towards his chest and held her there.

Neither slept for a few minutes as they just ran hands gently back on forth over the others body. Finally sleep set in for the both of them.


	6. Chapter 6

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**Chapter 6**

"Get up you Son of a bitch. Get out of that bed" Roxy said referring to John sleeping in Nat's bed holding her.

Natalie and John had slept all night in each other's arms and had not even heard the alarm three hours ago. It was now ten am and Roxy had gotten worried when Natalie's partner from the station had caller her looking for Natalie. Bruce had asked if Natalie was still home and Roxy took it upon herself to let herself into Nat's room and Check.

"I said get up you Son of a b--" Roxy was insisting again as she grabbed John's arm and pulled him onto the floor, naked.

John was startled as he hit the floor. He looked around and saw that the hotel owner was staring at him with hostile eyes. He suddenly realized that he was naked and his face flushed in embarrassment.

Natalie jumped up in bed when she heard Roxy's voice. For a minute she couldn't remember anything, her brain still fogged with sleep. Then she saw Roxy hovering over a naked Agent McBain on the floor, looking as if she was about to kick him in a not so pleasant place. Natalie got out of bed took the covers with her. She grabbed the sheet off the bed and walked around to the other side to John.

"Roxy! What the hell are you doing in here?" she asked her angrily and she gave a mortified John the sheet to wrap himself in.

"Natty honey. I don't know what's what, but this guy... he's like the other one. He works for uncle Sam." She told Natalie and Nat shook her head.

"I know who he is Roxy. Now leave" Natalie told her, dragging Roxy towards the door.

John stood up, wrapping himself in the sheet, and watched Natalie forcefully show the other woman to the door.

"Natty baby. Are you drunk or something? You slept with this player. You must be sick or something... you heard me right? He's a suit type, just like the another one" Roxy said, pleading for Natalie to understand her concern.

"I know who he is and I'm a big girl…OUT!" Natalie told her and then yelled for her to get out when she still hesitated. Roxy shook her head defiantly.

"Do I have to get my gun?" Natalie asked her when she refused to leave but Roxy just glared behind her at John.

Roxy pointed her finger at John and said harshly, "You hurt her H-man and you'll have to deal with me! You hear me?" John nodded in confusion still not sure what the hell was going on; the H-man comment confused him all the more.

"Good... and by the way nice package" Roxy said and John flushed an even deeper shade of red.

"Roxy! Out!" Natalie yelled in frustration and embarrassment.

Roxy turned her face toward her with her hand and said, "Just be careful Natty," then was out the door.

Natalie was still standing there by the door for a few minutes. She was embarrassed and the situation now was more than awkward. It was unbearable. She was unsure how to handle things now. She wasn't used to behaving so rashly but now in the light of day she realized that her behavior the night before had been extremely rash. She saw him walk towards her still holding the sheet around him.

'Um...um..." he started to say but he himself was unsure what to say. He also was uncomfortable with his own actions. This wasn't him; one night stands with women he barely knew was not him at all.

"This is pretty awkward isn't it?" She asked softly as she turned to face him.

"Yeah," He said and then the humor of the situation hit him and he grinned a bit.

She was also finding humor in the situation now and started to grin too. "I think your clothes are still on the floor, you can use my shower if you'd like" she told him as she started to walk past him to the bedroom. She moved in front of him and he put his arm out stopping her and causing her to look at him, into his eyes.

"How... Who... What was that Roxy woman talking about? " He asked. When Roxy called him a suit type and a player like that other one he had immediately become consumed with questions. Who was Roxy talking about and what had happened between Natalie and 'the suit type'?

Natalie just looked at him. She had a feeling this question might come up but it was hard for her to talk about and really wasn't any of his business.

"She's crazy... she doesn't make sense most of the time. It was nothing," She told him knowing he probably wouldn't buy it.

"She seemed to be making sense. What was she talking about?" he asked her again. He knew he had no right to ask but he wanted to know. It had somehow become important to him.

"She just doesn't want to see me get hurt again, that's all. I'm not getting into anything else, its personal." She told him.

"Personal... I see" He said somewhat hurt by her words.

"Yeah... Its personal " She said as he looked into her eye's. Had he expected her to share her story with him after one night of amazing sex?

"And what we did last night… On that sofa" He said pointing to the nearby sofa. "Holding each other close as we slept… that… that wasn't personal?" he asked her and she gave him a confused look.

"What exactly are you implying Agent McBain?" She asked him a bit harshly.

"I'm just wondering if this is something you go around doing. Sleeping around with men so casually," he told her and he saw her start to get angry and open her mouth to speak. "Your eyes says its not and so does the way you carry yourself, the respect you seem to have for yourself." He told her and she softened a little.

"I don't... things are never casual for me with men. They have never been… but… but I don't think its necessary to tell you who I am and what curve balls life has thrown my way. I don't like to dwell on it. Life is too short to rehash the past." She told him and he was quiet for a minute. She shook her head. He still held his arm out in her path till she said it.

"I guess this was the first casual thing I've ever done," She told him and he grabbed her back, pulled her to him quickly. She was about to get mad but he hypnotized her with his eyes.

"It may have seemed casual at first but… Look into my eye's… it didn't end casual for either or us" He told her and looked deep into her eyes. It was as if he looked inside her soul, searching for something. He found it, that instant feeling of connection between them that created a spark of sorts.

"There's nothing casual about this either," He said as his lips took hers urgently. His hands came around the blanket to she was wearing and he yanked it down to the floor. His covering fell to the floor.

Natalie wasn't thinking and she let him have her kiss her and let him run his hands up and down her naked body.

John backed towards the bed and threw himself down, bringing her with him. She landed on top of him and he took her mouth again in a passionate kiss. Their desire took over and all talk ceased.

Thirty minutes later they were yet again clinging to one another in her bed. The sex had been just as amazing as the night before and neither of them was ready to start the day yet. They were both silent for a few minutes, both enjoying the moments of calmness. They lay on their sides with his arms around her as he played with her hair.

Finally Natalie spoke. "I know nothing about you Agent McBain and maybe it's a bit late for this but… I need to ask you a few questions," She told him and she felt him bring his mouth to her ear and whisper yes.

"First… I don't really think you are but…but you aren't married are you?" she asked a bit insecurely. She prayed that her instincts on him were correct and that he wasn't.

"Nope… I'm not… and I take it by your place here that you're not either?" He asked her and she smiled to herself.

"Nope… not married either," she said and he grinned shyly.

"What else? What's your next question?" He asked her.

"Um...um...Is this work for you? I mean… Is this part of your job here in Llanview to sleep with me. Do you or the Feds have some big master plan that includes me being out of control again and sleeping with yet another Federal Agent?" She asked and he was taken back by her words. He moved up on the bed, he sat up. She felt him sit up and look down at her. She too sat up.

"Why would you say that… think that?" he asked and she was reassured by the look of shock to her question that this wasn't like the last time.

"I… I just misjudged something in the past and it makes me a bit leery... It's late… really late... I need to get into the station before my uncle fires me," She said starting to get up.

"No… I have a few questions now" he told her needing to now know what was going on or went on with some other agent.

"You know it'll have to wait I need to get ready," She said and he took her arm and pulled her back down onto the bed with him.

"You're not going anywhere… You opened this discussion up... Finish it," He told her and she was so thankful when she heard her cell phone ring.

"Ignore it," he told her and she shook her head no.

"I can't, " she said and he released her. She took the call.

"Buchanan...yes Uncle Bo... Sorry I had a few errands this morning… what? Okay give me twenty minutes I'll be there... Wait Uncle Bo... Is something wrong? Okay, you'll explain when I get there"

Natalie walked by the bathroom. She turned to look at John, who was still sitting and on her bed, naked. She was confused as to who he was and what he wanted. She didn't know what she should do, how she should act or even be if they should be around each other.

"I have to go to the station," She said. She went to the bathroom and started showering before he even got a word out of his mouth.

Natalie walked into the police station twenty minutes later. After she had showered and dressed she came out of the bathroom and saw that John had left, for that she was thankful. She walked over to her uncle's office door and knocked. He called for her to come in and she did.

John had gone back to his room a few floors down. He showered and met up with Tony.

"Hey where's Billy?" John asked and Tony just stared at him for a few minutes.

"He's been reassigned... What's new with you? I went by your room earlier, you weren't around" Tony told him as he studied him for a few minutes.

"Nothing. Come on let's get over to the station and see whats going on with trying to catch this rapist." John said and within a few minutes they had arrived at the station.

John and Tony went over by Bo's office door. The door was slightly ajar and they could hear the conversation going on inside of it. The conversation was between Natalie and her uncle. Not her as Boss, but as her uncle.

"Natalie... Bruce told me what he observed at the bar last night" Bo said and Natalie froze. Was he talking about the kiss?

"What exactly did good old Bruce say?" She asked and he gave her a knowing look.

"Okay... So he told you that what? Agent McBain danced with me and kissed me to help further my cover, to help enforce the illusion that I am a cheap whore. So maybe… maybe this Paul what ever the fuck his name is comes after me," She told him annoyed at Bo but more annoyed at Bruce.

"Natalie Honey… I'm your uncle... I'm a bit worried about you. Maybe I should take you off this case."

"No Fucking Way!" Natalie told him angrily.

"Natalie, calm down… You know I love you like a daughter and I just don't... well you know. I just have to watch over you. Not only as my niece but as one of my best detectives." He told her and she calmed down. She could never be really mad at him. He was the father she should've had. Her own father had never really taken much interest in her.

"I Love you Uncle Bo and I love that you've had my back so many times… but… but I'm not a hundred percent sure yet but I thinking this is different from last time. Okay… all right… McBain… he... he seems like a stand up guy. He's different… I can tell," she told him sincerely.

"Are you sure sweetheart? How exactly can you tell? You've just met him," Bo asked not sure what to think at this point.

"I just can, I can see it in his eye's, I can even fell it when he touches me,"

"Natalie! Damn it! What the hell are you doing!" Bo screamed out a bit. He couldn't believe she would sleep with a man she had just met. "You're off the case," He told her harshly.

"Uncle Bo" She started to say.

"No! No if's and's or butts about it… You're off it. If he's working it for the FBI, you're not working it for us."

"You're not being fair… you're not being you," She told him and he replied, "And you're not being you… sleeping with someone you just meet, and another Federal agent at that! Didn't the last son of a bitch hurt you enough?" He told her and she simply got up and started to walk towards the door.

John and Tony had heard the whole conversation. John had turned to Tony during the middle of it when he realized it was heading towards him and her. He motioned for Tony to go do something but Tony didn't budge. They saw her heading towards the door and before they could move away she came out into the hall and saw them.

"Unbelievable... Fucking unbelievable… Did ya get an earful?" She said to John and Tony when she saw them standing right outside the door. She knew they heard every word said. He tried to meet her eyes briefly but she wouldn't make the contact. She just walked passed him, very pissed off.

John stood there feeling like this was his fault. It was. He had to make it right for her. He knew what it was like to be taken off a case after putting so much into it. He thought about the commissioner's words, all of them, and also what Natalie had said. All the words seem to be pointing towards her having been involved with another Agent not so long ago. He shook his head as he heard Tony speak.

"You sly dog… That's where you were all night," Tony said and John just gave him a death glare as he knocked on Bo Buchanan's door.


	7. Chapter 7

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**Chapter 7**

John stood outside the Commissioners office, Tony had left to make a few phones calls. John knocked on the Commissioners door. Bo called for him to come in and he did.

"Commissioner Buchanan" John said as he entered the office. John knew he had to set things straight, lay them somewhat on the line. He just wasn't sure what it was he would be laying on the line.

"Agent Mcbain... just the person I wanted to see" Bo told him and he motioned for him to have a seat.

"I have taken detective Buchanan off the Pauly Santoria Rape case. I would assign another female undercover detective if I had one but I don't. So the feds are going to have to help out more than we anticipated" Bo told him and John tried not to interrupt but he had to say something, anything. He could tell already after only knowing her for little over a day how important getting this guy put away was to her.

"Commissioner Buchanan I --"

"Bo" Bo corrected him.

"Bo... Is it alright if we speak candid, off the record" John asked and Bo nodded.

"I overheard you talking with Detective Buchana... Natalie...and...And well I don't think you are being fair to her at all."

"Excuse me, Agent Mcbain... I sort of like you... I sort of do... you seem to be an excellent Federal Agent but what you over heard with my niece. With one of my detectives that is none of your business."

"But it is... it was mostly about me and my kissing her last night at the Bar while she was undercover."

"Agent Mcbain... no offense but... well I won't be discussing my niece nor Detective Buchanan with you. The issue I had was resolved and that is it. Its final and personally speaking off the record" Bo said and JOhn nodded

"I'm glad my niece isn't still on that case... as her uncle, as the closest thing she has to a father. I don't want her hurt...not by a rapist and certainly not by you Agent McBain" Bo told him and JOhn stood up.

"Bo" John said and he paused for a moment. " I didn't come in here to tell you what to do, I only came in here to try and make things right for her. I was the one who stepped over the line last night while she was working and I hate to see her taken off a case that she has worked so hard on because of me." John told him and Bo was smirking as he heard his words. But then wiped the smirk off his face. He didn't want to show him. Agent Mcbain that he admired what he just said, what he just did for his niece.

"That's all I wanted to say Commissioner, Your niece has obviously put a lot of time and effort into this case and it would be a shame for her not to be able to continue" John told him and he saw Bo shake his head for a moment.

Bo heard his words again. Natalie was right. John Mcbain was a stand up guy.

"So... say I was to think about putting Detective Buchanan back on the case, Do I have your word that nothing will interfere with her, with us catching our guy. And...When I say nothing... I mean nothing... what ever it is you and my niece are doing or may become to each other. I need you word that it will not jeopardize the case...or even my niece's mental state." Bo asked him and John started to put his hand out to shake Bo's.

"You have my word Commissioner" John told him and shook his hand as in reinforcing his word.

"Good... now that, that is settled... Do you have any plans for dinner John?" Bo asked him with a smirk on his face. Bo had a big family dinner at the Palace. It was Brenna's Birthday and she was four today. Bo knew Natalie would be there and... And well... He liked John Mcbain... It was about time Natalie had a little help with her love life.

"No... Actually I don't think I do" John said a bit unsure. He would've loved to maybe spend some time with Natalie tonight but... after the way she stormed out of her uncle's office. He wasn't really sure she'd want to be around him.

"Okay then, we'll have dinner at the palace say around 7ish?" Bo told him and John nodded his head. " I'll meet you there and we can discuss the case a bit and may be I'll even learn a little bit about what makes you tick Agent Mcbain" Bo told him and JOhn left his office.

JOhn walked towards the detective's office; it was in the back of the station. He wanted to maybe talk to her. See how she was and see if there was any chance of them maybe being something. He shook his head. He couldn't believe this was him, that he wanted something, with someone. This wasn't him; he never wanted anyone or anything in these past six years. Not since Caitlyn but he found himself wanting something, wanting her. John was surprised at how he seemed to know it so fast. One day and he knew she could be the best something that had ever happened to him.

JOhn looked into the office and saw her back to him. She was at her desk and she was on her phone. He didn't approach her as he heard her speaking to someone.

"Yes Jess I'll be there early to help you decorate for the princess... and I'll even be able to stay late... I don't have to work tonight... alright I'll see ya around 6. Give my favorite princess a kiss for me and I'll see you both later. Bye" She said into the phone. She hung up.

John decided to wait to approach her, maybe give her a bit of space. He didn't want her to feel like he was smothering her. He walked out of the office an over to Tony in another one of the rooms to discuss the case.

Seven O'clock came and John was walking into the Palace restaurant when he noticed her immediately. She was dancing on the dance floor with a small child. The child had to be maybe three or four. John stood back for a few minutes just taking the sight of Natalie in. Just watching how beautiful she was. She wore a navy blue off the shoulder blouse, a bit low cut but certainly not as low as her undercover blouses were. A matching skirt that fell right above her knees. Pretty blue sandals. Her hair was up in a clip in the back with a few tendrils hanging around her face, just framing it. ' Amazing' he said to himself as he didn't even notice Bo walk over to him.

Bo saw JOhn watching his niece on the dance floor. He smiled as he cleared his throat trying to get his attention.

"John...JOhn..."

"Oh... I'm sorry Bo"

"That's alright come lets go sit and discuss things," Bo told him and he led him over towards a table with some men sitting at it. JOhn looked at Bo confused when he told him to have a seat and he started introducing the men at the table to him.

"John Mcbain this is my father Asa Buchanan, My brother Clint, My nephew Kevin and My son Mathew" Bo introduced all the Buchanan men to JOhn. John shook their hands.

"Nice to meet you" John told each and every last one of them when he glanced over to Natalie on the dance floor. A woman who must have been her mom was escorting of the cute little girl. He saw Natalie let out a small pout as if disappointed her dance partner was taken away when he saw a man with Sandy colored hair come over. The man took her hand and grabbed her waist a bit. He started quickly and playfully gliding her across the dance floor. She was laughing and John felt something rise in him. Jealous. He watched intently as he turned to Asa Buchanan upon hearing his name being called.

"I'm sorry Sir what?" John asked Asa to repeat his question

"My God son I just asked what you did for a living didn't know I was going to be ignored" Asa said a bit stern. Bo called him Pa and gave him a look. John quickly took a look at Natalie still on the dance floor with the Sandy haired guy. She was still laughing and being playful and he felt as if his bubble had been broken.

"John's and FBI agent, He's here helping with the serial rapist that's going around," Bo said and Asa made a face. Kevin wasn't particularly fond of John's profession either.

"Isn't my sister on that case?" Kevin asked and John now knew who some of these men at this table were. Bo shook his head yes to Kevin's question

Kevin laughed. " Oh so you are sort of working with my sister Huh? And you're a Fed? That must be going real well..." he said and he continued to smirk and laugh." real well"

"Actually your sister and I are getting along really well... very well to be exact" John said those words and the whole table went silent as if he said something bad, something wrong. John looked over at Bo confused.

"How well exactly are you and my granddaughter getting along?" Asa asked and Bo stopped his questioning.

"Pa... Natalie is a big girl... leave it alone" Bo told him and JOhn needed some space. Between Her families... her very protective family to her dancing and having a grand time with some man. John had, had about enough. He excused himself for a few minutes.

John was walking over towards a few doors that led outside when he sort of ran into a little girl.

"I'm sorry Kiddo are you alright?" he said realizing he almost knocked the child to the ground.

"Me okay... I'm Brenna who you?" the cute child asked, John put his hand out to shake her tiny little one.

"John Mcbain" he said and the child smiled.

"Its my birthday today... Me four, that's my mommy over there with my daddy" Brenna pointed to Jess and Nash and then she just continued to talk.

"Over at that table is my grandpa and my great grandpa, unc Bo, Mattie, Unc kev" the child went on and on. Then she paused. John took a look at Natalie still dancing on the dance floor with that guy. He looked at the small child.

"An who's that woman with the red hair? " John asked her and Brenna smiled from Ear to ear.

"That's my Aunt Natalie... She and I were just dancing till Mommy needed me to fix my dress..."

"And who's that man with her?" John asked feeling a bit bad for pumping a four year old for information.

"Oh that Aunt Natalie's Ex, he so unny all the time, he makes me laugh" Brenna told him and almost immediately upon hearing her words, or her partial words he felt a sudden sense of disappointment. Brenna seemed to pick up on something.

"Come here" She said and she dragged John out onto the dance floor right next to Natalie and Rex.

"Aunt Natalie... aunt Natty" Brenna called as Natalie looked over at Brenna and she saw the child holding John's hand.

"Brenna?" Natalie said questioning her with her tone.

"This is JOhn...He wanted to know about Ex" Brenna told Natalie and Natalie smiled. Natalie saw the flushed look on John's face. She continued to smile at his sudden embarrassment.

Rex too saw the somewhat awkward situation. He laughed and turned to Brenna

"Hey cutie pie can I have this dance" Rex asked Brenna and she smiled. She started dancing with Rex and clowning around.

John and Natalie stood in complete awkward silence on the dance floor with everyone watching them.

"You know everyone is watching us... we... need to either dance or walk off the dance floor" she told him and his hand automatically went up and took hers. He brought his hand to her back. He saw that he caught her off guard and he smiled. He continued to guide her around the dance floor as she too started to smile.


	8. Chapter 8

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**Chapter 8**

John and Natalie were looking into each other's eyes and were dancing. Rex was running Brenna around the Dance floor like a clown. Natalie was watching them and she laughed. She shook her head.

"He's crazy," she said smiling and grinning from ear to ear. John however felt like he again was punched in the gut. Natalie noticed he didn't look so happy.

"What are you doing here tonight Agent Mcbain?" She asked and he gave her a look.

"Okay... Okay... John" She said and she smiled.

"Your uncle invited me to dinner..."

"Really? Tonight? That's surprising... He knew it was Brenna's birthday party " Natalie said and she shook her head. That was weird of her uncle to do. Just then Rex came and push him and dancing Brenna in between them.

"Excuse us... Pardon us" Rex said and Natalie laughed as her and johns hands broke contact. She continued to laugh when John made a face.

"So Brenna said he's your Ex" JOhn said and Natalie let out a huge laugh.

"Whats so funny?" John said feeling like h missed the joke.

"His name is Rex... Brenna can't pronounce her R's. And... And he's my brother" Natalie said laughing. John let out a huge laugh too. He was being ridiculous being jealous and upset for no reason.

Natalie saw him laugh and the tension seem to be broke. She looked into his eyes and his looked into hers. They connected and they seem to block everyone else out. After a few minutes JOhn decided maybe it was time. Time they got to know each other better. He knew he wanted to know everything about her, he had only hoped she wanted to learn about him as well.

"So she's your niece? And today's' her birthday... She's four" He asked and then told her.

"Yup, My sister Jess... she's the blonde over there with her husband. Brenna's dad, his name is Nash Brennen," she told him and he laughed.

"So her name is Brenna Brennan" he said and they both laughed" yep... not exactly sure what my sister was thinking when she named her but... well... she's so darn cute. Isn't she? " Natalie said with huge smile on her face. John looked at her smiling face.

"Yeah, she's cute and so are you...beautiful even" He said out loud to her. He seemed to be caught up in the moment. They were still continuing to dance.

Natalie heard him say she was beautiful and she started to melt inside. He was so damn sexy and just his words made her want him. Want him more actually.

" So this is all your family then... the whole Buchanan crew" He asked as he still held her in his arms moving to the continual music.

"Yeah pretty much all of us. The Buchanan's and some of the Balsom's"

"Balsom's?" he questioned her confused.

"Yeah... My brother Rex...you know the one you were sort of jealous of" She said joking and looked at him. He smirked at her and how she seemed to see right thru him after only knowing him a few days.

"Its a very long story. I've got a lot of family. Here in Llanview anyways... back in AC where I was raised... I didn--"

"Did you just say you were raised in AC?" he asked curious.

"Yep. Raised there why?" She asked and he gave her a sly grin.

"Born and raised AC boy," John told her and she chuckled a bit.

"No shit?" she said and he repeated her words" No shit" he said and she laughed more. " Small world isn't it there's even a new doctor at the hospital from AC... Wait a minute... Mcbain... are you related to Dr. Michael Mcbain?" Natalie asked and JOhn got a weird look on his face.

"Yeah... I got a Dr brother named Michael... haven't seen or spoken to him in maybe seven years." he told her and he shook his head. " It is a small world... I guess I'll have to look him up maybe tomorrow or something... do you know him? Is he still as geeky as I remember?" he asked smiling at her. She smiled back

"Yep, I think he probably still is" She said.

They danced for what seemed like hours. They told story after story just getting to know each other better. Natalie told him her whole twisted story of how she was raised in AC as a Balsom and how she had found her family the Buchanan's ten years ago.

John too told Natalie of his childhood and being raised by his parents. How they were close till his dad died at the hands of a drunk with a gun one night.

Natalie saw his face when he spoke of his father. There was an underlying sadness beneath his soulful eyes. She instinctively took her hand. Placed it on his cheek to make him feel better.

John felt her warm skin. Her warm hand on his cheek and he without hesitation did what felt natural to him. He placed his had on top of hers. Just staring into each other's eyes Natalie realized for the first time in an hour they were in a room full of people and that most of the eyes in the room were on them.

"Hey...you wanna go for a walk on the terrace or something?" she asked as she let her hand drop in turn causing his to drop. John for the first time looked around at her family that were so intently watching them on the dance floor. He noted the jaded looks he was receiving from the table of men he was introduced to earlier. He nodded his head yes and they walked out onto the terrace.

Natalie walked out the doors first. JOhn trailed behind her and looked around the party to make sure no one followed them. As soon as he saw the coast was clear he followed right behind her. John closed the door shut tight.

Natalie walked over to a small bench on the terrace. She was about to sit down when she felt his arms circle her from behind. Natalie smiled. She wasn't sure why? Why the two of them seem so comfortable with the other. So intimate. But they were.

JOhn had been dying to hold her since he first saw her tonight. He couldn't wait any longer, as they were alone on the terrace together. Her back was to him and he brought his arms around her. Just holding her back close to his chest he could feel the warmth between them. The comfortableness. He felt her lean into his arms and he knew she felt it too.

No words were spoken by their mouths but their bodies contact said more than mere words could ever say. Natalie closed her eyes as she felt his warm breath on her skin. Then she felt him start to kiss the back of her neck softly. Little baby kisses as he pulled her into him more.

Natalie felt his lips on her skin and it felt so good. Felt so right. He took his arms and turned her so she was facing him. She opened her eyes and met his.

"What is this between us? " She asked him studying his eyes. "I'm not sure but... but I'd like to try and figure it out" He said and she smiled. "Yeah... me too" she said softly as she felt him take her lips in a kiss. A heated kiss. John started to kiss his way down her neck as they both jumped after hearing the doors to the terrace open.

"I'm sorry Honey...John but I got a call. They found a girls body in the park. They think its related to our case." Bo told her and she looked at him.

"I thought you'd want to come with me and have a look around the crime scene yourself," Bo added and he saw her questioning face.

"Does that mean... mean I'm back on the case? " Natalie asked a bit excited to be back on. Bo nodded his head yes.

"Yeah? What changed your mind?" She asked him as the three of them started walking of the terrace.

"Not what...who " he said and he looked at John. Natalie turned to John after her uncle said that and she looked at him, all curious like.

"You?" Natalie said and John shook his head.

"Its not important... you're back on your case now lets go " he told her and she smiled at him. Without questioning they got into Nat's car and drove to the park.


	9. Chapter 9

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**Chapter 9**

Natalie and John arrived at the park in a matter of minutes. No words were spoken on the ride over.

"Davis... you got an Id on the girl?" Natalie asked one of the other Detectives as she walked closer to the body.

"Yeah... and... well...Ummm..." Davis hesitated.

"Spit it out" Natalie told him a bit rushed and harshly.

" Ginger Foley" Davis said and he knew what her reaction would be. He knew Detective Buchanan knew the girl.

"She dead/" Natalie asked and Davis shook his head yes.

"Why? Why kill her? This one? Is he changing his pattern?" She asked out loud. John had been standing back. Observing her work her crime scene. He heard her questions and he moved closer to her with his take on things.

"Maybe she fought back to much. How was she killed?" He asked Detective Davis.

"Strangulation" Davis said as Both men observed Natalie bending down to look at Ginger's covered body.

Natalie gasped when she pulled the sheet up a bit to take a look. He eyes even became a bit watery. JOhn noted the look on her face. She was upset by this one. Was she upset by all of the Victims? He asked himself. 'Yeah' he told himself she probably was. That just seemed to be who she was.

John went behind her as he saw her eye's water again. She was now squatting along side the girl's body. John instantly squatted down behind her and placed his hand on her back. Natalie turned to look at him. She looked into his eyes and shook off his hand. Now wasn't the place for him to comfort her. Not at work and not in front of others.

Natalie got back up. She looked around the area. Looking for anything maybe the other detectives missed. John stood back up and watched her.

"Davis, tell me more? You got anything? Anything at all? Any info on what bar Ms. Foley was at earlier tonight?" She asked and Davis was almost afraid to say... to tell her

"Jakes" he said and he saw her roll her eyes' up in her head.

"Damn it!" Natalie said as she started to pace the park.

An hour later the body was sent to the morgue. John still stood observing and only adding his two senses in when needed. He saw Bo walk over to Natalie and he saw her become more upset. JOhn walked over to the two of them when he heard Bo tell her to go home and get a good nights sleep.

"Go home... get a good nights sleep... tomorrow night... tomorrow night you start undercover at a different bar" Bo told her and she sighed deeply

John walked closer as Bo walked away. Bo made eye contact with John for a brief second and left.

"Hey...He's right... why don't you go home and get some sleep?" He told her as he approached her. She just glared at him for a minute and started walking back and fourth. She was mumbling to herself as she walked.

JOhn waited a few more minutes and listened to her words.

"I told you there was a rapist out there... I told you to stay away from the bars... I told you... you should've listened... you should have" Natalie said still mumbling when John realized she definitely knew the victim and she may have Know her well. After a few more minutes of her pacing and mumbling, he saw her turn quickly and look at him. Her eye's watery and he saw a bit of the water escape her eyes. John walked over to her, as she looked right at him. Right into his eyes. He brought his hand up to her face and wiped away the water that was now running down her cheeks.

John slowly brought her into his arms and held her for a few minutes. Natalie didn't protest. She allowed him to.

"Come on...lets get you home" He told her and he walked her with his arm draped over her shoulders.

Five minutes later they walked up to her room.

"You didn't have to walk me all the way up here" She told him

"Yeah, I did... are you sure you're alright?" he asked and she nodded yes. Natalie unlocked the door to her room. She turned back to face him.

"Do you maybe want to come in?" she asked leery and slowly. He was confused at first if she really wanted him to come in. The way she asked seemed hesitant. He was unsure of what to answer when he saw her walk into the room leaving the door open for him to follow her in.

John followed her in. She walked all the way in and over by the window by her bed in the bedroom area. She stood staring out it as he approached behind her.

"So you knew her? Huh?" He asked her and he saw her nodded her head from behind.

"Yeah, she wasn't a close friend or anything but... but I knew her, just saw her the other day at a fund raiser for the Community center. She helped out there. She was sort of a loner kinda grew up broken like me." Natalie told him and she turned briefly. She gave him a weak smile.

"Thank you" She told him as she walked closer to him.

"For what?" he asked confused

"Obviously you spoke to my Uncle about putting me back on the case. I appreciate it," She told him and she walked closer to the living area.

"I'm a bit tired... I'll see you tomorrow at the station" She told him as she started walking towards the door to show him out.

John put his hand out in front of her to stop her.

"How about you get your PJ's on or what ever it is you sleep in and I'll stay till you fall asleep." he told her and he wasn't sure where that had come from.

"Yeah... why? I mean... it's nice of you to offer... Don't know if I've ever had someone I just met offer to stay with me till I fell a sleep." She said and he looked at her, he came a bit closer, he stood in front of her.

"I don't feel like we just met. I feel... After tonight... Talking almost all night with you... I'm not sure really what I feel but it kinda feels like something...something unexpected." JOhn told her and he touched her cheek softly.

"Now change," he told her and she felt heated almost. His touch had made her heat up. Her body. She smiled weakly and went to say something but couldn't form words. She just walked away from him. Grabbed her stuff from her drawer. She went into the bathroom. Ten minutes later she came out wearing a white tank top and a pair of red plaid boxers.

John saw her come out of the bathroom. He smiled. She looked so damn cute. He walked over towards her Bed. He pulled the covers down for her to get in. She looked at him for a minute. She shook her head as she thought about this definitely being something and she got under the covers.

John pulled the covers back over her and he leaned down and kissed her forehead. He lowered his head a bit then and stared into her eyes for a brief second as he saw her pull the covers down next to her. She left her face serious never breaking her look. He smiled at her as he toed off his shoes and got under the covers with her.

John pulled her body towards his. She automatically went with him as he pulled her on his chest. Within minutes they both were asleep.


	10. Chapter 10 Smut

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**Chapter 10**

Natalie woke in John's arms again. She smiled through a yawn and thought, "Again" She admired the strong features of his face and ran her hand gently over it. He was just so gorgeous, so handsome. She thought about the piercing bluntness of his eyes, their intensity. All her thoughts of him were making her tingly all over but she ignored it, continuing to study his face. He was older then her. He hadn't said so but she was pretty sure he was about 10 years her senior, not that she cared about that. To her age was just a number. She had been with older and she actually preferred it that way.

Natalie let her fingers wander down to his hands where they were resting on her sides. She traced each and every finger of his hand loving the feel of them. They were long and slender. She could feel her body reacting to her thoughts and her blood began to get hot just looking at him

His button on his pants were undone, he must have undid it for comfort during the night. She skimmed her hand over his zipper, right where his penis would be. She closed her eyes briefly and remembered when they had sex the other day. Remembered his length, his stamina, and she remembered licking him, sucking him.

Natalie was getting herself excited, more than excited, more than turned on when she decided this was wrong. She was wrong for being so turned on by a sleeping man next to her. She needed a shower she told herself… a cold shower. She said to her self. She couldn't help it, couldn't resist it, she ran her hand once more over his zipper area. She let out a sigh as she quickly squeezed her own breast and knew she needed that cold shower.

John woke a few minutes ago but never opened his eyes. He felt her soft touch on his hands and on his denim covered penis. He held his smile and his desire inside himself. He felt her skim him one last time with her hand and he felt her get up and go into the bathroom.

John heard the shower start and she had already excited him. By the slight touching she had just done to him. He walked closer to the bathroom door.

Natalie was showering. She had just changed the water to warm… to hot after rinsing off in a cold spell for a few minutes. She had her sponge and was lathering up as she felt something. She gasped for air as she felt his hands come around her back and rest on her soapy breasts.

John stepped in the shower to see her touching herself with a sponge, cleaning off her nipples over and over as he knew there was no holding him back. He quickly undressed and stepped inside the shower.

John leaned his mouth near her ear and whispered into it as the water ran over there close bodies.

"Can I borrow the sponge?" he asked her almost laughing. She smiled as she put her hand out for him to take it from her. He did and then he started running it over her body, over her breasts. Over her nipples. Making sure to thoroughly clean each and every part of her breasts. His mouth came to the back of her neck. He started to kiss it gently at first but then taking it more roughly. Almost more urgently.

John still had the sponge on her breasts as he turned her around with his hands. He looked into her eyes. She looked into his. He leaned in and took her mouth for almost a minute when he started to bring himself down her body more. He stopped at her breast, tasted the taste of pure water, and need for him on her skin.

Natalie felt him take her nipple in his mouth; She moved her body back in the shower stall some until she was up against the sidewall. She arched her body up so he could better attach himself to her breast as she felt him lowering himself even more.

John still had the sponge in one hand and he lowered himself to the floor. He brought his mouth towards her center and he licked some water off her thighs. He nipped at her center for a second till she moved her legs slightly and parted for him. She brought one leg over his shoulder slightly allowing him easier access.

Natalie felt herself almost losing balance on one leg. John felt her start to fall forward a bit and he reached his hand forward and held her on the wall. His mouth, his tongue took it upon themselves to start pleasuring her core. He sensitive area, her clit. Over and over John's incredibility long tongue reached inside her and took her, took almost all of her as he heard her muffle sounds above the noise of the water.

She was gasping, breathing heavy, the mixture of pleasure and steam that was radiating off his tongue was getting to be too much for her to handle. She brought one of her own hand to her breast and squeezed herself tightly, Her other hand tangled itself in his hair.

John could feel it upon her, her orgasm, he felt it on his tongue, and he wanted to give it to her this way. He looked up at her slightly; she was touching herself, touching her own nipple even. That excited him even more. He got overly excited by it and forced his tongue in even further, deeper, till he heard the sexiest music he had ever heard.

" JOHNNNNNNNNNNNN" She screamed and he felt her contract and spasm a bit.

John felt her come down from the place she was at for a minute for a brief minute as he raised himself up on her. He looked into her eyes. She looked back at his dazed. She smiled. His hands went to her ass. He picked her body up. She guided herself onto his erection as she wrapped her legs around him.

John started taking her lips almost violently. He pushed them against the shower stall as the water still continued to run down the middle of their bodies. He thrust himself into her a few times as he steadied them with his arm.

Natalie wrapped her arms around him. She held his chest tight to her chest. She felt him gliding himself back and forth into her. He thrust into her over and over and she arched up as much as possible.

John was nearing it; he was nearing his release into her warm core, her warmth. He felt her body start to tighten again and he smiled. She had more, and he smiled more as she started to again sing him beautiful music.

"Don't stop... Don't stop JOHNNNNNNNNN," She said as he thrust one final time into her body. He felt her pull herself up and down on his penis tightening and tightening the rubbing sensation as he let it all go. As he felt her let it go again. He closed his eyes as he did. As his juices emptied into her. He opened his eye's a second later and he saw her. He felt her still riding him a bit till she felt like she had milked every bit of it. Every bit of it for the both of them.

John slowly lowered her. He reached his mouth over. Kissed her and spoke softly.

" Your something... something so unexpected" he told her as he held her close, tight with his arms and he kissed her again.


	11. Chapter 11

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**Chapter 11**

John and Natalie walked towards the doors of the police station. They had driven over together after their joined shower. Neither spoke much since the shower and although it seemed things should feel awkward it wasn't. They were comfortable with each other.

Natalie was deep in thought and as they were about to enter the doors when John stopped her. He put his hand out in front of her.

'Wait" he said and she turned and looked at him.

"There's some stuff I need to say... I think... I think maybe you need to hear it," He told her and she was now curious.

"Alright" She said and she led him towards a bench next to the station.

"I meant it... I meant it when I... said that you're something, that this things between us this is means something." he said and he paused. She smiled at him and he continued.

"I'm not this type of person... you know... I don't just sleep with women I barely know. Heck I hardly deal with people at all. I've lived my life detached for the most part and... and well... I've never had a reason or a feeling that ever made me want to be attached... but... but... you seem to make me feel that way" He said and paused again.

"I've been hurt in the past, a long time ago and since then I've just been going thru the motions but these last days have been incredible. You're incredible" he t old her all serious like as he looked into her eye's.

"You mean the sex has been incredible?" she questioned in firm tone.

"No... I mean... Yes... The sex has been more than incredible, but it's not the only thing. There's so much more to you Natalie Buchanan... So much more and I want to get to know all of it, every little bit of it" He told her and she couldn't keep the smile off her face.

"Really?" she asked him and he shook his head as he leaned in and kissed her softly. They were just pulling away from each other when they heard a voice.

"Natalie" Christian said as he approached them. Natalie moved away from John's lips and turned towards Chris. She walked over to him.

"Oh... My... God Chris! How are you? You look good, how've you been?" She asked beaming at him. John watched her with this man. She was more than happy to see him.

"I've been good, I can tell you've been good, you are looking even better than last time I saw you," He said and John now officially hated this man.

"Are you here visiting your mom or have you decided to move back?" She asked him as she looked over to John for a brief second and realized she didn't introduce the two men.

'Oh, I'm sorry... Agent Mcbain this is Christian Vega an old friend" Natalie told the men and then JOhn put out his hand to shake Chris's as Chris spoke.

"Now I'm an old friend Huh? I use to be introduced as your Ex-fiancée" Chris said chucking a bit, he chucking more when he saw John's insecure face.

"Yeah... well... life goes on, times change and I'm just thankful we could still remain friends after all that happened."

Natalie and Chris spoke for a few minutes as JOhn noticed he wasn't needed nor included in the conversation. He excused himself and went inside the station.

Twenty minutes later Natalie walked into the station. She walked over to JOhn who was working at one of the officer's desk.

"Hey... I'm sorry about that... I haven't seen him in almost a year" She told him and he just looked at her. She saw his face. His tense face.

"Whats up with you? And don't tell me your jealous?" She asked and he just got up from the chair he was in and walked away from her. She followed him over to the file cabinet.

"You're jealous," she told him and he didn't look up from the papers in his hand. "No... I'm not," He said and she looked at him. "Agent Mcbain, you have no reason or any right to be" She told him and he finally looked at her. He shook his head a bit. "I know," he said. They studied each others eye's for a few minutes as she motioned with a slight movement to her head for him to follow her.

John followed her to an empty interrogation room. They both went in.

" Let me tell you something now... I... I've been hurt before too, hurt a lot, and actually most of that pain was caused by one of you. A federal Agent who came to town before Chris and I were to be married. He did things, manipulated things so that I distrusted Chris. So he could get me in bed." She told him and he looked at her.

"I don't know why exactly I'm telling you this and now... but... It seems the last thing in the world I would want to do is get involved with another Federal agent, another man even. But... for some reason... I just do. And with you. You were right when you said there's something about us. About you and about me... and... And I'd like to see where it goes." She told him and he broke into a smile.

"Yeah" he said and he smiled wider. She smiled " yeah" she said and he pulled her body close to his and he kissed her deeply. Five minutes later they broke apart. Natalie looked into his eyes. He looked back in hers.

'We're okay then?" She asked and he shook his head. " Yeah, we're okay just... just still don't know where we go from here. This is all sort of new for me." He told her and smiled.

"Not really sure myself... I guess you can either ask me out to dinner or... or we can just wing it," She said smiling.

"We've been pretty much winging it already... how about dinner?" He said and she laughed a bit.

"You really are new to this huh?" She said laughing a bit more. " Yep... its been a long time" He told her as they just continued to stand and stare at each other.

"Maybe tonight over dinner you can tell me just how long and why it's been so long" She told him. She wanted to know about him. All about him. He was so mysterious.

"Not one to talk about myself and my baggage all too much but... I may be able to be persuaded " he told her and he got a sly look on his face.

"Oh really... like how? " She asked him and she came closer to him " Like this maybe?" She asked and she took his lips urgently, almost violently.

"Is that enough to persuade you or do you need more?" She asked as she brought her lips off his. She grazed his body with hers as she continued.

John felt her persuasion. He smiled; She was so damn amusing and so damn amazing. So damn unexpected. What he was feeling for her. What he figured was him falling for her. That was so damn unexpected.

"I'll probably need more," he said laughing and she was about to take another heated kiss when her cell phone rang in her pocket. They both laughed and she leaned in her pocket and took the call.

"Buchanan... Yes, Hi Mac, How are you? yes I didn't forget... Oh... Okay... I can do that... I don't have to work tonight... yep... 7-closing. No I don't mind. Tell Janice I said Happy anniversary... your welcome... see ya"

Natalie looked at John. "I've promised Mac from Rodi's I'd cover for him tonight. So... our dinner, our persuasion... it'll have to wait." She told him and he shook his head.

"That's fine, maybe I'll look up my brother, the Doctor tonight," He told her and she smiled.

"That would probably be nice of you," She said and they headed towards the door. He stopped then before they left the room.

"So you bar tend?" He asked her curious to that the first time he had heard her promise to do Mac the favor.

"Yep... I use to work for Mac... awhile ago, when I was in college," She told him. He shook his head.

"There's so much about you I don't know," he said stating a fact. " I know... the same with you but... but I think finding out about the other, that's half the fun" She said smiling. He smiled at her. He leaned in and kissed her once.

"What time did you say the bar closed?" he asked joking and she laughed.

"I didn't" and she leaned in for another quick one before they went out into public eyes.


	12. Chapter 12

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**Chapter 12**

Some time around ten O'clock that night John along with his brother Michael walked into Rodi's.

"I see you already found the spot for the best burgers in Llanview" Michael told John joking.

"Yep... and the best view too" John said as he glanced over to the bar to see Natalie wearing a tight black Rodi's tee- shirt. She was talking to a view patrons at the bar.

Michael followed Johns gaze and saw him staring at Natalie behind the bar. Michael didn't say a word about it and they sat in a back booth. Michael continued to talk but John barely heard a word or it. Michael knew he was being ignored.

"I take it...you know Natalie Buchanan or you want to know Natalie Buchanan?" Michael said and he finally got his attention when John heard her name.

"Wow... is that what you undivided attention looks like?" Michael said Joking

"Very funny Mikey... very funny" John told him and refocused his eye's on Natalie and her tight shirt.

"Well... I see this is going no where tonight," Mikey said and he glanced over at Natalie at the bar. " I can't compete with Natalie's rack, never been able to... never will" Michael said joking and John looked at him quickly. He gave him a look like he wanted to deck him for the rack comment.

Michael put up a hand in front of John. " Whoa! Wait a minute... you must really have it bad... bad for her... you forget this is your long lost brother who made that comment and not a stranger." Michael told him and John relaxed a bit.

"Sorry Michael... I'm on edge... this case... my job... "

"A gorgeous redhead to worry about" Michael said Laughing a bit.

"Seriously John... is there something between the two of you?" Michael asked and JOhn nodded his head yes. Michael waited for John to elaborate on the subject but he never did. They spoke for a few more minutes when Michael saw John's face change. It became brighter.

Natalie saw them sitting in the back booth talking. She noticed him the minute he walked in. She was busy with customers but now she had a few minutes, things were quiet.

"Hey" she said, as she got closer. JOhn stood and went over to her. He took her hand slightly and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Natalie smiled at the gesture.

"Hey yourself" he said as he didn't release her hand. She smiled at him and she looked away from him for a minute and over towards Michael.

"Hi Michael. How are you?" She asked

"Fine... I guess for someone who's being ignored" Michael said looking at JOhn slightly. John heard his comments and looked back a Michael. Michael just laughed.

Natalie looked a bit confused at his comment and she looked between the two. A few minutes later someone... Michael finally spoke.

"I've gotta go... early shift in the morning...Nice to see you again Nat... JOhn... I'll be talking to you... I hope" Michael said being a wise ass. JOhn just shook his head at him.

"Talk to ya tomorrow Mikey" JOhn said and Michael started walking away from him. JOhn called out to him before he was to far away." Michael... it was good seeing you bro," JOhn said and Michael turned for a second, he smiled a bit.

"I missed you too JOhn" Michael said and John laughed.

JOhn watched his brother leave the bar and he then turned his attention to Natalie. H walked her over to the bar so she could attend to a few customers.

They talked in between her tending bar and they got to know each other a bit better. It was almost closing time when Natalie called final call and everyone left the bar. John walked over to the pool table as Natalie finished cleaning up the tables for Mac.

Natalie saw him at the pool table and smiled. She was about to go grab her purse and stuff from behind the bar when he walked over to her.

John walked to her, looked into her eyes, smiled, and then grabbed the keys for the bar from her hands. She looked at him confused but didn't question it. She watched as he went to the door of the bar and locked it from the inside.

Natalie was smiling inside, probably outside too. Did he think he would be getting Lucky tonight in this bar? She asked herself as she again smiled inside.

"Wanna play some pool?" He asked as he walked over to her. He saw her smile and knew her answer was yes.

Natalie walked over and met him by the table. She grabbed a stick from him and there hands touched a bit. The sudden contact, the electricity that shot thru there bodies. It made them stop short their actions and just gaze into the other one.

In a matter of minutes he yanked her to him. Put his hands on her waist, took her lips, and started devouring her. Natalie gasped for air after a few minutes and then let her hands run down his chest. Down to the front of his pants. She started to rub him down, rub his now hard erection thru his jeans.

John continued to take her mouth with his; he felt her hands rubbing thru denim when he smiled underneath her lips.

"Oh... you wanna play huh?" John said as he brought his hand up and under her tight black shirt. He attached it to her breast and started to squeeze tightly. More and more tightly. Faster as he felt her quicken the pace on his jeans.

John even started to pinch at her nipples thru her bra as he felt her undo his jeans button and push her hand inside his.

Natalie pushed his boxers to the side, she slide her hand in and took his erection into it. She started to get caught up in it. In the feelings of his flesh. John was getting caught up in it, in the hardness of her nipple. He was about to reach around her to unhook her bra when he heard ringing. John's cell was going off in his pocket. Neither stopped their actions as the phone continued to ring.

Lowering his mouth to her bra as he lifted the front of her shirt up for better access he heard the ringing of the phone cease. He smiled at the silence. He moved her over a few feet and he gently started to lower her on the pool table when... when Natalie sat up, looking around.

Natalie was enjoying things, enjoying this fooling around session of there's when she got an unusual feeling come upon her. She was unsure what it was but... but it almost felt like she was being watched, they were being watched.

"Whats wrong?" John said as he saw her sit up. She was looking around and he got a bit concerned.

"Nothing... I... just got a weird sort of feeling" She said and no longer than the words were out than John's phone again started ringing. They looked at each other. They both knew the moment for now was lost.

You might as well answer it," She told him and he pulled the phone from his pocket.

"Agent Mcbain" he answered " yes... yes chief... It's fine you didn't wake me... what? The Garcia case? Yes I have that file with me... yes... just give me a minute and I'll get it, its in my car." JOhn told his chief. He held the phone down and covered the earpiece with his hand.

"I've must get something from my car, I'll be back in a few minutes" John told her and he took the keys, he locked up with earlier and let himself out. He went out to his car, which was parked up the block some cause the parking lot was so packed earlier.

After he left Natalie began to put the chairs up on the tables she had cleaned off. She was absorbed in her task and the chairs were quite loud so she didn't hear the door open behind her. She was just standing back up with a chair when she felt his arms around her. "That was fast John," she murmured to him.

She tensed and startled to struggle when the voice behind her said, "not as fast as you're gonna like it"


	13. Chapter 13

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**Chapter 13**

"Let go of me!" she tried to shout but he clamped a hand over he mouth, making it impossible for her to speak. She continued to struggle wildly against him but his grip only tightened around her. In an act of desperation she took her foot, lifted it up, and stomped down as hard as she could. Then pulling back her elbow she rammed it into her attackers side. She was rewarded with a violent curse and the hand on her mouth loosened. Feeling the hand move from her mouth she did the only thing she could think of, she bit him as hard as she could.

"You bitch!" Her attacker screamed in pain, letting her go for just a second.

A second was all she needed. Ducking out of his reach, he caught her shirt as she ducked around him and she heard the fabric rip, Natalie raced towards the bar, where her gun was... When her attacker blocked her path she looked him straight in the face for the first time. She looked straight into his eyes, violent eyes. She knew that face, those eyes; from pictures John and the other Feds showed her. It was him, the man she had been trying to catch for the past few weeks. The rapist that everyone was looking for. Pushing back her fear she concentrated on getting out of this alive. She glanced at the door wising John would come in. He had his gun! Realizing quickly that it was up to her to get herself out of this she took a look around, assessing if she could get around him and to her gun behind the bar.

He grinned and started to advance on her as she had her answer. Grabbing the first thing she could get her hands on, a beer bottle, she threw it at him. As he ducked and lunged for her she spun away and sprinted to the pool table, the one near the exit doors.

He was too fast and grabbed her hair just as she reached the table. "Get off me!" She screamed her arms reaching frantically for something to hit him with. Just as he yanked on her hair she grabbed a pool ball and holding it in her palm, whipped around and smashed him in the shoulder with it. He let go of her hair and grabbed his arm.

"I am going to teach you a lesson you won't soon for get, you bitch!" He screamed, enraged at her.

Grabbing another pool ball she began throwing them at him as hard as she could. He tried to dodge them but couldn't avoid them all. He screamed again and lunged for her as she pelted him with pool balls. Again twisting away from him Natalie grabbed a pool cue from the wall and whipped around with it. Aiming for the one place that she knew would bring him down she swung the cue at him with enough force that the 'thwack" could be heard across the room.

Pauly went down like a stone clutching his groin with both hands. He was on his knees holding himself and Natalie again swung the pool cue, this time at his head. He never even saw it coming. Natalie watched him fall over unconscious with a triumphant grin. 'Hit them in the balls and they go down every time,' she thought to herself.

Now that he was knocked out she knew she needed to tie him up before he came to. Looking around for something to tie him with she noticed a lamp that had gotten broken in the struggle. She picked it up and brought it over to Pauly. Grabbing his arm tightly she proceeded to drag him to the bar and tie him to one of the stools. She tied him tightly then stepped back quickly.

Now that, that was done the events of the night began to hit her. As her adrenalin rush faded she felt like she was going to be sick! She barely made it to the bathroom before she began to retch. After her stomach was empty she wiped her mouth off with trembling fingers and left the bathroom. She went to the bar and grabbed both her gun and her cell phone. Walking around the bar she dialed John's number. At the same time took the safety off her gun and aimed it at Pauly, in case he woke before John got back.

It had only been five minutes at the most since John had left the bar but it felt like hours to Natalie. She had never been more relieved to hear anyone's voice in her life when he came in and exclaimed, "What the hell happened here?

John walked in and saw Natalie on her cell phone as she pointed her gun at a man tied to a chair. As she pointed her gun at Pauly Santoria. His shocked and confused expression turned to rage as he looked closer at her. John saw her bruised arms, Her matted hair and her shirt that hung ripped down the middle of the front. He knew there was a bit of a Struggle. He saw her start to walk towards him lowering her gun to her side as she got off the phone.

"I got my man," She said in almost a whisper as he searched her eyes for a moment. She seemed to be holding it together on the outside but John could tell she was about to crumble at any second. John looked into her eyes more intently, she now stood in front of him, and he took his hands and placed them on her face.

"Are you Okay? Did he... did he hurt you?" He asked her as he saw a single tear escape her eye. She just shook her head no.

"No JOhn... " She said and he pulled her to him. He held her on his chest for only a matter of a minute when she pulled off of him.

"I'm fine... " She said as she rebuilt up her strength. She was a police Detective, a damn good one; there was no time for her to be weak. No time for this to get to her. She was on the phone with the station when John walked in and she knew they'd be here soon. Her partner Bruce and most likely her uncle too. She knew she had to hold it together, be strong.

John watched as she walked away from him towards the bar. He walked behind her and called to her.

"Wait" he said approaching her as he started to unbutton his shirt. He removed it from his shoulders and started placing it on her arms.

Natalie heard him call her so she turned towards him. He was taking off his shirt, leaving him in his undershirt. She felt and watched as he started putting his shirt on her. His shirt was on her arms and he looked down to her as he started to re-button it on her.

John didn't want her walking around all undone when the officers arrived at the scene. He knew it would be awkward for her and he knew it would feel awkward for him also. He continued to Button all the buttons as they just stared at each other. No words spoken till Natalie started.

"Thank y--" Natalie's words were cut off when they heard Pauly's voice.

"You Fucking Bitch... Next time. Next time I'm gonna do more than just rip that Dam---" Pauly said arrogantly as John quickly turned from Nat's eye's. He walked over to Pauly with out a thought. Pauly barely had time to get his words out when John Pulled his head back by yanking on his hair. John looked into his face, his eyes.

"You do anything to her... like this... like anything... and I'll kill you... you Son of a Bitch... Got me... I won't even think twice... Understand me?" JOhn told him enraged. Pauly didn't say a word, nothing. Pauly went silent as John was still holding his hair in his hand.

"John... It's fine... you don't have to do that...He'll be going to jail and he won't be able to hurt anyone else ever" Natalie told JOhn and her words were out if only for a few seconds when she remembered that this sleaze bag wouldn't be going to Jail. She remembered why JOhn was even in town in the first place.

John saw her face change, her words stop and he knew why. He approached her as she walked a few feet away from Pauly.

"Natalie" he said softly as he met her eyes.

"Natalie... you did your job now I have mine to do... " He told her and she then decided to turn.

"Yeah... I know... " She told him a bit cold.

JOhn understood her coldness, her attitude. Things just didn't always work out to be fair. Life wasn't always fair and if as a Fed he had to let a sick son of a bitch rapist go to get a bigger fish... a more powerful fish...well then it may not be fair but... but it had to be done.

"Natalie... I ... I hope this isn't going to get in our way... personally I mean... I care so much about you...Are w--" John was finishing up his words and were cut off by Nat's partner Bruce coming into the bar. They both heard his voice and turned towards him.

"Well... lookey who we have here" Bruce said as he went over to Pauly. Natalie looked into John's eye's one last time and then walked over to Bruce. Bruce saw her come over to him and he gave her a half smile.

"Well Detective Buchanan you and Federal Agent Mcbain do pretty good work. Should I be Jealous?" he said joking as he looked at her.

Natalie was about to open up her mouth and say something when John spoke from by the bar.

"She did it all alone, all by herself, She's damn good," JOhn said smiling weakly as he walked near them. Natalie looked at him with his words. She met his eyes. She so didn't want to be mad at him cause of his job. He made it so hard to be mad at him because of it but... But she still couldn't get over the fact that this violent man would most likely not spend a day in jail and that he could possibly go on to do this to others.

"Yeah She is" Bruce said as he noticed the glares between the two going on. He noticed Nat was wearing Agent McBain's shirt. Bruce took Natalie by the arm and escorted her over towards the bar.

"Hey... are you alright?" Bruce asked her concerned.

"I'm fine," She told him putting on a bit of an act. Pauly had really scared her. She knew she was trained in this stuff but... but it was to real with her not having her gun or any back up. He was so much stronger than her and it was a passivity he could've done to her what he did to those other girls. She took a deep breath and pretended again everything was fine.

Bruce just kept staring at her. She wasn't as fine as she let on she was. She saw his look and knew he didn't believe her.

"I'm fine" she said repeating herself " well if you're fine why the shirt... why the good Agents shirt over your own?" He asked and she was about to give him a snappy comeback when She looked and saw her uncle come into the bar.

John had been observing Natalie talking with Bruce this whole time when The Police Commissioner, her uncle walked in. Bo came right over to John and he started to explain what he knew of what happened. A few minutes later both Nat and Bruce walked over.

"Detective Buchanan, Good work, Agent Mcbain was just telling me you single handedly caught our guy." Bo told her and she gave him a weak smirk.

"Thanks" She told him. Never making eye contact with John.

"Bruce why don't you get Nat's statement quick and then we can transport Pauly here to lock up" Bo told Bruce and he nodded his head.

"Lets just take him to lock up and I'll give you my statement there," Natalie said but Bo wouldn't go for it.

"No... After speaking with Agent Mcbain its best you give your statement, go home, and get some rest." Bo told her and she automatically got pissed. 'What the hell did he tell her uncle to make him want to brush her off' she asked herself inside.

"Commissioner... Uncle Bo... I don't need to rest... I want to see Pauly Santoria in a jail cell where he belongs." She said protesting the calmest way she knew how. But she was mad inside

"No Natalie... as the Commissioner, as your Uncle even... Go home and get some rest" Bo saw her again start to protest but cut her off.

"Its an order. Detective Buchanan" He said and she looked at him, shook her head from side to side and walked away from him. She went over for a few minutes gave Bruce her statement.

JOhn now saw his FBI partner Tony walk into the bar. They discussed things for a few minutes until he saw her start to walk out of the bar. He excused himself form Tony for a minute and walked after her. He caught up to her in the parking lot.

"Natalie... wait... Natalie" He said a few times but she wouldn't turn around towards him. She was about to get into her car when he put his arm out in front of her. She looked at him as he rested his arm in front of her car door.

"Move out of my way JOhn" She told him and he looked at her. She was Mad at him. He questioned if it was the situation that had her mad, or Him.

"Natalie..." JOhn started to say something but she cut him off.

"Move your arm JOhn... " She said, having a hard time dealing with the fact that John was also FBI. He had become so important to her so quickly but she was just so angry with some of the stuff that the FBI did. She paused and briefly looked into his eyes. " I need some space," she told him. He removed his hand from her arm, gave her one last look, and watched as she got into her car and drove off.


	14. Chapter 14

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**Chapter 14**

John went with Tony to the police station. They spoke with Pauly Santoria in an interview room for a few minutes.

"So Pauly... the deals on the table... take it... you're out of here... leave it... your doing time... lots of time." Tony told Pauly as John stood silent almost the whole interrogation. He just walked around the room trying so hard not to think about her. Not to think about what this animal was going to do to her. What this animal almost did to her. He felt it best to just be the silent one on this, he let Tony take the lead.

"Let me get this here straight... I give up my brother, whom I love dearly... and what... all these rape charges and even the murder charge... poof... they disappear" he asked them and Tony nodded his head yes.

"Maybe... Maybe ...yeah... why not but I have one demand...while were making a deal" He told Tony but looked directly at John as he stood a few feet away from him.

"Pauly... see it seems the FBI has given you enough, we're not up to giving you anything else" Tony told him lightly.

"We'll see then... sorry Charlie or what ever you Freaking name is... not even a possibility of a deal then" He told him and Tony looked at JOhn for a second.

"Lets just say if we were to consider your request... what exactly are you looking for" Tony asked him as all eyes were on Pauly. Pauly again looked directly into John's eyes, his face.

"It's not what... It's who... I want to finish things with the Whore Redhead f--" Pauly couldn't get his last words out Cause John was already over the table grabbing his head and starting to smack it on the table that sat in front of Pauly.

"Say anything about her again... Even think about her again and I already told you once what I'd d---" JOhn was smacking his head on the table when Tony came over to him and stopped him.

"JOHN... JOHN!" Tony yelled in his face and John finally looked at Tony after a few minutes. Tony told him with his face and his eye's to cut it out. JOhn let go of Pauly's head and walked over towards the corner. Tony approached Pauly.

"The redhead... she's off limits and she's a detective actually... undercover to snag your sorry ass and that's exactly what she did... Now about our deal... why don't you sleep on it and let us know in the morning." Tony said and they both left Pauly sitting in the interview room.

"John man... You can't be going around doing that shit... you could compromise the case... is she really worth it?" Tony told and asked John as they stood out in the hall right outside the interview room. John was about to open up his mouth as they turned to see an officer escorting Pauly back to his cell. Pauly looked back at the two men as he was walking with the officer.

"Redheads... they have so much fire in them... they always fight the m--" Pauly was goading John and John moved towards him quickly, he was about to start pounding him when he just shoved him to the wall. John smiled at him. The officer still had a hold somewhat on the cuffed Pauly.

"Don't forget to tell everyone at this station who exactly it is you wanna get your slimy mitts on... I'm sure they'd love to know you're talking about there Redhead... there favorite Redhead." he told him and JOhn looked at The officer as he said it. The officer just looked back at John. He got the hint. The officer abruptly started moving Pauly towards the cells.

"John... John... now if anything happens to him... we're in deep shit... the boss already hates you. Now...I know you've got it bad for this girl but... but... is she worth it?" he asked him again and John just shook his head and walked away from him.

"John... John... make sure she is before you do something you'll regret...John...do you hear me?" Tony screamed to John as he walked out of the station.

Natalie had come home and she got into her nightgown. She lay down in bed and closed her eye's trying to sleep when all she saw was him. Pauly. She just couldn't get over him, over the fear she felt... she hadn't felt that fear since she was little. Since... She forced herself not to think about it, it was in her past. It was over ten years ago and she swore that night she would never let it bring her down nor would she ever give it any thought.

She decided to think happier thoughts. Okay she asked herself what Happier thoughts... "John" she said out loud after a few minutes but was thoughts of him happier or just more confusing. He would be making a deal right now with a man who attacked her tonight. A man who attacked woman. All these things she didn't like that he had to do for his job yet... yet she knew they weren't enough to keep her from feeling what she was beginning to feel for him.

In such a short period of time Natalie knew she was falling for him. She knew it was probably a wrong move on her part. There was so many reasons not to. She should just think of her heart and the heartache he would probably cause her but she didn't. She was confused as to if he would actually cause her heartache or if it would work out to be something wonderful. She just wasn't sure.

Natalie was still confused and she continued to try and convince herself not to fall for him any deeper but it didn't seem to be working.

"Well... he's a Fed... that should be enough to keep him far away" She said out loud to herself as she shook her head and pulled the covers up over her head in frustration.

"He'll most likely go back to headquarters or on another assignment when he's done here... long distinct relationships... they never work." She said while under covers, she quickly pulled the covers off her head.

"Long distance relationships... are you kidding me Natalie! the two of you aren't in any relationship, you've had sex a few times, he says there's something and he wants to see where it goes.. That's no relationship," Natalie told herself and then she let out a deep sigh.

"What the hell? Why does it have to be so complicated" She asked herself as she turned on her side and closed her eye's. Within a few minutes she fell asleep.

About an hour later JOhn sat in the chair in her room. He had convinced her mom to let him into her room. It was hard but he did what he had to and he finally convinced her. After threatening to throw her in Jail she had finally let him in. He had been sitting in the chair just watching her sleep since he came into her room.

John looked at her peaceful state. Her long red hair lay across her white pillowcase. Her covers pulled up under her arms. He sighed out loud. It had been a long emotionally draining night for her, for him even. He knew although she tried to hide it she was shaken up a bit by what happened with Pauly and also to the fact that he would most likely be let go, JOhn took a deep breath with that thought.

Pauly being let go may leave her in more danger. Pauly's words tonight stuck in John's head as a warning more than anything else. And he couldn't let anything happen to her, not with how he was feeling about her. Not with the fact that he was pretty sure she was more than something at this point. That he had unknowingly past that stage with her. He was falling in Love with her and it just seemed to be picking up more and more momentum.

John shook his head. He didn't want to screw this up. This was new to him... well sort of anyways. He was in Love once before, not exactly like this. Not with someone who had a hold on him from the start. Like this, never like this. Never with someone like this. JOhn was still in thoughts when he saw her start to toss about on the bed. She started off slowly and then picked up speed. He got concerned and walked over to her. He approached her gently; he didn't want to alarm her.

"Natalie... Natalie babe... wake up. Its just a bad dream" he told her and after a few minutes she did. She looked straight at him. Her eye's seemed glazed over somewhat.

"John? How did you get in here?" she asked as she still felt very much asleep.

"Roxy... your mom let me in... I... I hope it's alright?" he asked a bit insecure. She just nodded her head that it was.

Natalie stared at him for a minute. He was here. He got Roxy to let him in. She shook her head... He was so damn handsome and she was so falling in Love with him. She knew this could go either way. Either she should protect her heart from falling in love with him more by making him leave or... Or she could just let him stay here tonight, with her. He could hold her, make her feel better. She could let him stay with her in her room and also stay in her heart.

Natalie made her decision. She pushed her covers down and scooted over in her bed. She looked at him. He looked back at her. No words were needed for now as he took off his shoes and got under the covers with her.

John reached for her the minute she let him in. Let him into her heart by opening it up to him with her small gesture. He wasted no time taking what she offered and he pulled her body to his chest. She went willingly and she laid her head on his chest just above his heart.

o

After almost twenty minutes of silence, both of them content. JOhn spoke.

"It's been a long time for me Natalie Buchanan but I think I love you"


	15. Chapter 15

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**Chapter 15**

"Its been a long time for me Natalie Buchanan but I think I love you" John said as he held her close to his heart.

Natalie was half asleep; she could have sworn he said something about him loving her. She raised her half groggy head and looked up to see his eyes.

John said it out loud. He knew she would most likely hear it. He didn't want it to be secret. He saw her look up at him. He looked down towards her head still on his chest.

"What?' She asked softly almost a whisper. He gave her a shy grin.

"You know what I said," he told her back just as softly. She smiled slightly, leaned up with her lips, and kissed him gently for a minute. She brought her head back down on his chest. She looked away from his eyes. She started running her fingers in circles on his chest as she smiled to herself.

"Me too" She said gently as she closed her eye's.

John rubbed his hand up and down her back after they kissed. Then he heard her two short words and he smiled. She loved him too... or at least she thought she might love him. He was a bit overjoyed. He leaned his head down to hers. She seemed to be falling asleep. He wanted nothing more than to Make love to her right now, right here but she seemed so tired. She was almost completely asleep and he decided to kiss the top of her head and settle in himself for a good nights rest.

Natalie woke the next morning to an empty bed. She sat up as she felt him not next to her. As she no longer felt his strong arms holding her. She opened her eyes and looked around the room for him when she turned towards her bathroom door as it opened.

John had woken to his cell phone going off in his pocket a little while ago. Tony told him he needed to meet him As soon as possible at the police station. John had gotten out of bed but she looked so peaceful sleeping he didn't want to wake her.

John came out of the bathroom showered. He saw she was now sitting up in her bed staring at him thru sleepy eyes. He walked over to her. He sat next to her on the bed as he finished buttoning up his dress shirt. He gently leaned in and kissed her good morning.

"Morning... how'd you sleep?" he asked and he gave her a small smile.

"Content" She said as the word was the first thing that popped into her head. She smiled thinking it 'content' she said to herself and she smiled more.

"Content... hmmm... yeah... me too" he said and he leaned in and kissed her again. This kiss got a bit carried away. It became a bit passionate for a minute. He wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her close to him. He started to take her mouth deeply but realized he had to stop... if just for now. He pulled away and looked into her eyes as he stood from the bed.

"I have to get to the station and meet Tony," He told her and she gave a little disappointed pout but then smiled.

"I figured maybe you had to run this morning," She told him as she got out of bed. She walked over to t he other side and started to make that side of the bed. John too walked over to the opposite side of her and started to help her with making the bed. Without realizing it they were comfortably making the bed together. More importantly not even realizing it or being awkward about it.

After they finished the bed John turned to Natalie. He started to open up his mouth but stopped to think first. He knew he needed to say something. Talk about them and the case and what might happen next. He knew things were so very complicated. He would most likely have to leave after they got Pauly to talk today. He would have to go after Petey and he was feeling a bit insecure about leaving her and also about what came next for them.

"Nat..." he said as he looked into her eye's" I'm not really sure... but... after today I will probably have to go and find My guy...Petey Santoria... not sure when I'll be back...from that assignment I mean... Cause... Shit!" he said getting all tongue-tied. He was Nervous. So very nervous about her not wanting to wait around for him. He also never spoke much. He was having a hard time of it when she saw the frustration on his face.

"JOhn... its okay... you don't have to say anything... we'll just wing it" she told him and he smiled as he grabbed her hand and held it.

"You don't understand... I need to know... This is actually more about me... I'm just insecure, Nervous even... I want to know if you'll wait for me till my assignment is done. I want to know if we are going to try this thing... this relationship thing?" he said a bit confused at the wording. She nodded yes to the word relationship. John didn't continue his words. He was feeling even more frustrated and then he heard hers save him.

"JOhn, work on your assignment, do your job and when its done, we'll take things from there. I'm willing to put in any type of effort to make things work. Even if this thing between us... this falling for the other, thing" she said and he smiled at her. She smiled back. " Even if it has to be long distance... well... then that's what it'll have to be" she told him and he smiled, he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it gently.

"So then you'll be here waiting for me when I'm done so to speak?" he asked her. He started to feel relieved for a few minutes when she stared into his eyes. She brought her body and mouth close to his.

"Yep, I'll be here when you're done, and after you're done." She said continuing to smile up close at him. " You mean a lot to me JOhn, and... well... I lied last night..." she said. He got a serious and confused look on his face. A worried look.

"When I agreed with you after you said you thought you were in love with me...I lied cause I don't think I am... I know I already am. In love with you that is" She said and he just pounced on her lips urgently.

After five minutes of kissing, intense kissing Johns phone went off in his pocket. They broke apart and he leaned his forehead on hers. Both of their eyes are closed. As they ignored the phone ringing.

"I need to go," he told her "you need to go" she said. John moved away from her, moved his lips in for a small quick kiss on the hers, and they started walking towards the door. At the door Natalie turned to him as she opened it to let him out.

"Do you think you might still be around to do dinner tonight? There's still so much I want to learn about you Federal Agent John Mcbain" She told him and he smiled.

"God I hope so... I wanna make love to you once more before I have to leave" he told her and she gave him a smirk

"I said Dinner and talking Federal Agent Mcbain," she said joking

"Its John Mcbain to you. To the amazing woman that I'm in love with it... that I want to make love with... all ni--" JOhn was saying as she cut him off quick with a kiss before he got to excited and walked back into the apartment.

"Go... before you get us both excited" she told him and playfully shoved him out her door. He gave her a quick wave, a shy smile, and left.

"See ya at the station later?" he asked as she watched him walk down the hall, she nodded.


	16. Chapter 16

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**Chapter 16**

John walked into the Police station and over towards Bo Buchanan's office. He saw the door shut and the blinds closed. He looked at the door odd when he saw Tony come walking over towards him.

"Hey, I thought you said we had a meeting with the commissioner this morning?" John asked Tony as he walked closer.

"We do. You were late... for what ever reason." Tony said and gave him a sly grin." I don't wanna know... but you were late and... and well... " Tony was about to tell JOhn something else when they heard Bo Buchanan raise his voice a bit in his office. Both Tony and John looked at each other a bit in shock. In the time that they had been spending here in Llanview they had never heard him raise his voice to that volume nor that tone in it. A few seconds later before they could regain their conversation Bo stepped out of his office briefly.

"Good, you're both here now... Sorry I had some personal stuff to take care, you both can come in if you'd like" Bo said and the two men followed Bo into his office.

The minute JOhn followed Bo into his office he saw him. Federal Agent Simon Ferrar. The Prick himself. John stared at him for a second before he spoke.

"What the hell are you doing here Simon?" John said as Tony too was wondering the same thing.

"Bureau sent a real agent here to clean this mess up," Simon said back to John smugly.

"What Mess might you be talking about?" Tony asked getting into the mix of things.

"Well... it seems Pauly Santoria is a little banged up this morning... a little more than a little... he's still able to talk but has a few demands... a few that I think we can accommodate with help from an old friend of mine" Simon said and looked away from John's glare for a moment and over to Bo. Bo just glared back.

"No way in Hell Agent Ferrar..." Bo told him a bit calm but a bit pissy.

John looked between the two men. Even Tony could see the hostility between the two. This time between Bo and Agent Ferarr. Tony knew there was no blood lost between John and the other agent. As a matter of fact Simon was probably the last agent they should have sent to help handle this case because of the bad blood between Mcbain and him. Tony shook his head knowing this was going to be a difficult situation.

"Commissioner... No disrespect but... But if she agrees you really have no say in this. She's a big girl and you know it" Simon told Bo and Bo walked closer to the man. He stood in front of him and Bo looked at him with stern eyes.

"She works for me Agent Farrar... Not the FBI, certainly not you. She will not be putting herself in any position... none... are we clear?" Bo asked Simon as John stood back in the room with Tony trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. They seem to be talking in code almost. Talking about something he was starting to figure had to do with Natalie.

Bo's words were only out for a few seconds when his door opened. As he and Agent Farrar glared hatefully at each other they both looked to see Natalie standing at the door.

Natalie walked into the room seriously. She walked straight ahead over towards her uncle and Simon. Her eye's never wavered to John's or Tony's although she was fully aware they were both in the room.

"What position exactly is it, you're looking to put me in? And it better not have anything to do with me being horizontal!" She told Simon right to his face stern but calm almost. A bit to calm.

John saw her and then heard her words. Something was up. He thought to himself. He observed the way she got up into Asshole Farrar's face and he knew there was defiantly something missing. Something going on that he didn't know about.

Simon smiled at her. "Detective Buchanan... Natalie... its nice to see you again" Simon told her and she gave him a fake smile as he continued to talk.

"I was just explaining to your uncle how the FBI needs your help with getting Pauly Santoria to talk, to give up his brother." he told her and she continued to watch his eye's.

"Really... the FBI needs my help... again... why? " She asked and Simon proceeded to talk to her.

"Natalie can we talk in private?" he asked her softly. She shook her head no.

John noticed Simons voice, attitude change towards Nat and he found himself getting mad inside. He was already pissed to See Simon Farrar here on this case. He hated the man for what he put him thru. What he cost him even but... but what was going on between Nat and Simon now. The conversation they were having was making him mad... jealous even in a way.

"No Farrar" Bo said from behind the two. " You tell us all what it is you want Natalie to do. What exactly it is that perv Pauly Santeria wants " Bo told him sternly and everyone's eye's was on him. After a few seconds Simon closed his eyes. He took a breath and then looked back at her glare.

"What exactly do you think he wants from her?" Simon said and Natalie started to get more steamed. She walked around the room for a second. JOhn too started to get pissed when he walked in between Nat and Simon.

"Are you serious? The chief sent you here for this? There's no way in Hell! In hell that Son of a Bitch is getting within ten feet of her. NO Fucking Way!" JOhn told Simon and he started with the intense glares now.

"Mcbain... this isn't your concern" he told him and John jumped on that one. " My concern! Its my Fucking case" John told him and Simon looked him in the eyes' " it was your case... I'm head agent on it now... The chief sent me to make a deal with Santoria for his brother and that's what I did..."

"You did what exactly?" Natalie said jumping into the heated mix.

"I said he could have some time alone with you" Simon said and everyone else in the room except for Tony starting voicing their disapproval loudly at once.

"Who gave you the Right to whore me out to some sicko... you Bastard" Natalie told him and Simon actually got a bit emotional. She raised her hand with her words to slap him but he caught her hand by her wrist. Not roughly but he held it.

"I wouldn't do that and you know it! I wouldn't let it get that far," He told her intense but didn't let her hand drop. John was getting madder and more jealous even by the minute. He couldn't see straight and now he got the pieces in place. The puzzle fit somewhat.

Simon must have been the Fed Natalie told him briefly about. The one that ruined things for her and made her leery of all Agents. ' Son of a Bitch' he said to himself. Not only was he the one responsible for ruining his life, his relationship with his fiancée years ago. But he was responsible for her heartache too. He walked closer to them, as did Bo too.

"Get your hand off of her" JOhn said quietly but stern. Simon just turned his glaze from Nat's intense blue eyes to Johns. " Now!" John said and Simon now got the picture. There was something between the two.

"That's up the beautiful Detective now isn't it?" Simon said and he saw John's anger building up in his eyes. He turned towards Natalie when he heard her words.

"You heard him Simon... Now!" she said and Simon dropped his hand from her wrist.


	17. Chapter 17

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**Chapter 18**

John was walking towards Bo's office after speaking with Tony for a few minutes. Bo came out of the office and saw John walking past.

"Agent Mcbain... do you have a few minutes? Can I have a word with you?" Bo asked him and JOhn nodded yes. John walked into the office and Bo motioned for him to have a seat.

"Commissioner, what can I help you with?" John asked and Bo also took a seat across from him.

"Tell me... Agent Mcbain.. John... do you like being a federal agent? Doing what you do... going from place to place on assignments... dangerous ones even." Bo asked him and JOhn looked at him a bit odd. He wasn't quiet sure where this questioning and this conversation was going.

"I do... I enjoy being an agent... the assignments I guess... never really minded the place to place part much. Don't really have a place to call home. It's never really bothered me and I like to see criminals put away." John said, as Bo was quiet.

"Commissioner... Bo... are you getting at something?" JOhn asked and Bo stood for a minute.

"No... well... maybe. I was just trying to judge you, to see if I asked you something if you're answer would be yes... but by your response to my questions it lead me to believe the answer would be No" Bo said and JOhn was more confused.

"What were you going to ask?" John said and Bo just glanced at him and started showing him to the door. John stood but Bo didn't answer him. He was just showing him to the door. Bo opened the door and John was almost out of it when Bo finally answered his previous question.

"I need a new chief of detectives, just thought if you were unhappy living place to place never really having a stable life... that maybe if you were feed up with being a fed for what ever reason. Thought maybe you'd be interested but... well since you have no reason to want to settle in a small town and make a home. Then... I guess my offer of the job to you would be useless... Have a good day," Bo said and he closed his door almost in a speechless Johns face.

John left Bo's office. He heard his words. His questions about John maybe being done with the FBI; with moving from place to place never having a place to call home. He shook his head. Maybe it would be nice to stay in one place. To stay here in Llanview even. He felt comfortable here. She was here and with all this new found falling in love stuff maybe it was time to change things in his life. Change of career and maybe a change in who he was, how he went about things. Maybe new goals in life. Maybe start a life with her and here. He smiled at his last thought and went towards the Detectives office to see her at her desk hard at work.

"Seven o'clock and be ready was all he said to her as he walked in quickly and walked out." He saw her give him a side smirk and he laughed a bit.

John met up with Tony and he informed him that Simon wanted them to try and get thru to Pauly Santoria again. To try and get him to take the deal. Immunity of all charges for his brothers where about.

John and Tony walked into an interrogation room where they saw Pauly already wanting for them.

"So nice to join me agents Dumb and dumber" Pauly said as Tony and John took a seat. They just stared at Pauly for a few minutes till he spoke again.

"Where's my present?" he asked as he looked at JOhn grinning.

"Present? Don't think you've done anything to warrant a present" Tony told him.

"Well the other guy... the taller, blonder, more clean cut agent... he promised me something in the shade of Red" Pauly said and he again was watching John's face. His actions. John didn't give into his anger this time with Pauly. He used it.

"Red really isn't your color" John said " but... tell us about the where about of your brother and we'll see if you can find a nice shade to match your skin tone... If not... I hope you like orange," JOhn told him as he started walking around the room.

"Very funny Agent Mc what ever the fuck. But without a redheaded gift with a bow. It's just not worth it." Pauly told them. John and Tony tried for a bit longer to convince him but they were getting nowhere.

An hour later they left and went out in the halls. They met up with Simon.

"Any luck?" He asked and Tony said No. John excused himself and decided to leave for the night. He had a lot to think over and he wanted to get ready to take her out tonight. To actually take her out on an official date for the first time.

Around 6:50 JOhn was at her door banging on it. He had been banging on it for a few minutes when she finally answered it.

"Hang on... Hang one I'll be right there" She said as she was fixing her earring.

"Hey, you're early. I'm not quite ready yet" She told him as he looked at her. John took the sight of her all in. She looked amazing. She wasn't dressed up fancy or anything but... but she certainly knew how to wear a pair of Jeans. He eye's her up and down as she just smiled at him knowing full well what he was doing. He noticed every curve of her. Her faded jeans hugged her hips as a perfect fit. Her sleeveless brown blouse showed just enough clever for him to enjoy the view but not enough where he felt he had to have her cover herself around other men. He watched her pull on her boots and he smiled.

"Are you going to talk anytime tonight or are you playing mute tonight?" she said being a wiseass. He walked closer to her and pulled her body towards his.

"Just taken away by how great you look" he told her and she laughed. " Okay... I'm wearing jeans and a sleeveless blouse" she said and he chuckled a bit.

"Yeah you are but... it does things to me... you do things to me... I can't describe it but.. but you just make me crazy" He told her and she looked at him confused

"Alright of all the things i want to make you... crazy was not on the list" she said laughing. " You know what I mean" he told her and she smiled.

"No... no I don't know what you mean... why don't you explain it?" she told him and he gave her a look. " Really? You don't know what I meant?" he asked her and she shook her head.

"Not sure how to describe it... I wasn't sure what it was at first. but just being near you, hearing your voice or even hearing someone talk about you... It sends waves of electricity thru my body. It makes me unable to wait to touch you, talk to you. Feel you...Love you... cause I do you know... I 'm also beyond that stage... wasn't sure at first.. I'm unsure of a lot of stuff, this is all sort of new to me again and well.. I love you Natalie Buchanan. And I think my subconscious has known it since the first moment I saw you." He told her and she leaned her body into his. She stared into his eyes.

"That was beautiful... you did wonderful with those words for someone who is so new at this... " she told him and she leaned up and kissed him. Natalie had to push him off of her after a few minutes.

"Later John... dinner and getting to know each other first... remember" she said and she grabbed her stuff and started walking to the door with out him till he followed.

They arrived at Rodi's ten minutes later. Took a seat in a back booth and ordered food.

"How about some pool?" he said and she shook her head no.

"Nope... I really want to get to know more about you.. I don't usually tell someone nor fall in love with someone I know so little about" she told him and he gave her a smirk.

"Does that mean I have to speak? Tell you things?" he asked joking, she raised one eyebrow and looked at him.

"Fine... you know this is like torture to me.. I hate talking about myself " He told her and she leaned in acrosse the tqble to him. She got real close to his mouth with hers.

"For me" she said as he thought for a minute she was gonna give him a taste of her lips.

"Yeah... anything for you" he said mesmerized by her eyes. Her lips, her voice, her. He kissed her quickly and then backed up in his seat.

"Okay... where should I start?" he asked and she told him.

"Well...I know about your parents, your brother goofy, y--"

"Hey I'm gonna tell him you said that"

"That's fine I call him that to his face" She said laughing

"I know... you said things about being hurt... tell me about that stuff and why its been so long since you've done any of this stuff... dating and sex and shit." she told him and he gave her a smirk.

"Well... I never said it had been that long since I dated or had sex" he said giving her a sexy grin.

"Yeah well... I could tell the Sex part anyways" she said and she let out a laugh.

"It's been more the feelings thing... the wanting to be with someone so much and so bad. The whole caring about someone thing. I haven't really cared about anyone, loved anyone in quite some time. Eight years to be exact." he told her and she knew he was getting to things now. He was opening up and she would learn stuff about him now. Natalie reached her hand over and placed it on his that sat on the table. She looked into his eyes.

" I was engaged once too.. just like you. Never made it to the alter... it seems she and a Co- worker of mine, a friend . It seems they had a little something on the side without me being aware for some time. Not really sure how long it was going on but i caught them together in my bed" He told her and he wasn't as sad when he thought about it.

"Oh... I'm sorry John... really... really sorry" she said and he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently.

"Don't be... It doesn't bother me any longer. It's amazing how much I really don't car about that right now. and I don't think I will ever again. Since I met you... you just make me feel better inside... Content... at home" he said and she said "Yeah... that I can understand" she said and they moved back into there seats as there food arrived. They started to eat and talk some more.

"Did you have to work with him anymore?" she asked casually as they ate

"What? Who?" JOhn asked having put their last words out of his head already.

"The guy you worked with... I bet it was hard working with him after that. Did you have to anymore?" She asked and John looked across the bar to see none other than Simon Farrar walk in and he was walking straight towards them in the back.

"Yeah, I had to and I'm still it seems" JOhn said and Nat got confused for a minute and then saw Simon standing behind her.


	18. Chapter 18

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**Chapter 18**

John was walking towards Bo's office after speaking with Tony for a few minutes. Bo came out of the office and saw John walking past.

"Agent Mcbain... do you have a few minutes? Can I have a word with you?" Bo asked him and JOhn nodded yes. John walked into the office and Bo motioned for him to have a seat.

"Commissioner, what can I help you with?" John asked and Bo also took a seat across from him.

"Tell me... Agent Mcbain.. John... do you like being a federal agent? Doing what you do... going from place to place on assignments... dangerous ones even." Bo asked him and JOhn looked at him a bit odd. He wasn't quiet sure where this questioning and this conversation was going.

"I do... I enjoy being an agent... the assignments I guess... never really minded the place to place part much. Don't really have a place to call home. It's never really bothered me and I like to see criminals put away." John said, as Bo was quiet.

"Commissioner... Bo... are you getting at something?" JOhn asked and Bo stood for a minute.

"No... well... maybe. I was just trying to judge you, to see if I asked you something if you're answer would be yes... but by your response to my questions it lead me to believe the answer would be No" Bo said and JOhn was more confused.

"What were you going to ask?" John said and Bo just glanced at him and started showing him to the door. John stood but Bo didn't answer him. He was just showing him to the door. Bo opened the door and John was almost out of it when Bo finally answered his previous question.

"I need a new chief of detectives, just thought if you were unhappy living place to place never really having a stable life... that maybe if you were feed up with being a fed for what ever reason. Thought maybe you'd be interested but... well since you have no reason to want to settle in a small town and make a home. Then... I guess my offer of the job to you would be useless... Have a good day," Bo said and he closed his door almost in a speechless Johns face.

John left Bo's office. He heard his words. His questions about John maybe being done with the FBI; with moving from place to place never having a place to call home. He shook his head. Maybe it would be nice to stay in one place. To stay here in Llanview even. He felt comfortable here. She was here and with all this new found falling in love stuff maybe it was time to change things in his life. Change of career and maybe a change in who he was, how he went about things. Maybe new goals in life. Maybe start a life with her and here. He smiled at his last thought and went towards the Detectives office to see her at her desk hard at work.

"Seven o'clock and be ready was all he said to her as he walked in quickly and walked out." He saw her give him a side smirk and he laughed a bit.

John met up with Tony and he informed him that Simon wanted them to try and get thru to Pauly Santoria again. To try and get him to take the deal. Immunity of all charges for his brothers where about.

John and Tony walked into an interrogation room where they saw Pauly already wanting for them.

"So nice to join me agents Dumb and dumber" Pauly said as Tony and John took a seat. They just stared at Pauly for a few minutes till he spoke again.

"Where's my present?" he asked as he looked at JOhn grinning.

"Present? Don't think you've done anything to warrant a present" Tony told him.

"Well the other guy... the taller, blonder, more clean cut agent... he promised me something in the shade of Red" Pauly said and he again was watching John's face. His actions. John didn't give into his anger this time with Pauly. He used it.

"Red really isn't your color" John said " but... tell us about the where about of your brother and we'll see if you can find a nice shade to match your skin tone... If not... I hope you like orange," JOhn told him as he started walking around the room.

"Very funny Agent Mc what ever the fuck. But without a redheaded gift with a bow. It's just not worth it." Pauly told them. John and Tony tried for a bit longer to convince him but they were getting nowhere.

An hour later they left and went out in the halls. They met up with Simon.

"Any luck?" He asked and Tony said No. John excused himself and decided to leave for the night. He had a lot to think over and he wanted to get ready to take her out tonight. To actually take her out on an official date for the first time.

Around 6:50 JOhn was at her door banging on it. He had been banging on it for a few minutes when she finally answered it.

"Hang on... Hang one I'll be right there" She said as she was fixing her earring.

"Hey, you're early. I'm not quite ready yet" She told him as he looked at her. John took the sight of her all in. She looked amazing. She wasn't dressed up fancy or anything but... but she certainly knew how to wear a pair of Jeans. He eye's her up and down as she just smiled at him knowing full well what he was doing. He noticed every curve of her. Her faded jeans hugged her hips as a perfect fit. Her sleeveless brown blouse showed just enough clever for him to enjoy the view but not enough where he felt he had to have her cover herself around other men. He watched her pull on her boots and he smiled.

"Are you going to talk anytime tonight or are you playing mute tonight?" she said being a wiseass. He walked closer to her and pulled her body towards his.

"Just taken away by how great you look" he told her and she laughed. " Okay... I'm wearing jeans and a sleeveless blouse" she said and he chuckled a bit.

"Yeah you are but... it does things to me... you do things to me... I can't describe it but.. but you just make me crazy" He told her and she looked at him confused

"Alright of all the things i want to make you... crazy was not on the list" she said laughing. " You know what I mean" he told her and she smiled.

"No... no I don't know what you mean... why don't you explain it?" she told him and he gave her a look. " Really? You don't know what I meant?" he asked her and she shook her head.

"Not sure how to describe it... I wasn't sure what it was at first. but just being near you, hearing your voice or even hearing someone talk about you... It sends waves of electricity thru my body. It makes me unable to wait to touch you, talk to you. Feel you...Love you... cause I do you know... I 'm also beyond that stage... wasn't sure at first.. I'm unsure of a lot of stuff, this is all sort of new to me again and well.. I love you Natalie Buchanan. And I think my subconscious has known it since the first moment I saw you." He told her and she leaned her body into his. She stared into his eyes.

"That was beautiful... you did wonderful with those words for someone who is so new at this... " she told him and she leaned up and kissed him. Natalie had to push him off of her after a few minutes.

"Later John... dinner and getting to know each other first... remember" she said and she grabbed her stuff and started walking to the door with out him till he followed.

They arrived at Rodi's ten minutes later. Took a seat in a back booth and ordered food.

"How about some pool?" he said and she shook her head no.

"Nope... I really want to get to know more about you.. I don't usually tell someone nor fall in love with someone I know so little about" she told him and he gave her a smirk.

"Does that mean I have to speak? Tell you things?" he asked joking, she raised one eyebrow and looked at him.

"Fine... you know this is like torture to me.. I hate talking about myself " He told her and she leaned in acrosse the tqble to him. She got real close to his mouth with hers.

"For me" she said as he thought for a minute she was gonna give him a taste of her lips.

"Yeah... anything for you" he said mesmerized by her eyes. Her lips, her voice, her. He kissed her quickly and then backed up in his seat.

"Okay... where should I start?" he asked and she told him.

"Well...I know about your parents, your brother goofy, y--"

"Hey I'm gonna tell him you said that"

"That's fine I call him that to his face" She said laughing

"I know... you said things about being hurt... tell me about that stuff and why its been so long since you've done any of this stuff... dating and sex and shit." she told him and he gave her a smirk.

"Well... I never said it had been that long since I dated or had sex" he said giving her a sexy grin.

"Yeah well... I could tell the Sex part anyways" she said and she let out a laugh.

"It's been more the feelings thing... the wanting to be with someone so much and so bad. The whole caring about someone thing. I haven't really cared about anyone, loved anyone in quite some time. Eight years to be exact." he told her and she knew he was getting to things now. He was opening up and she would learn stuff about him now. Natalie reached her hand over and placed it on his that sat on the table. She looked into his eyes.

" I was engaged once too.. just like you. Never made it to the alter... it seems she and a Co- worker of mine, a friend . It seems they had a little something on the side without me being aware for some time. Not really sure how long it was going on but i caught them together in my bed" He told her and he wasn't as sad when he thought about it.

"Oh... I'm sorry John... really... really sorry" she said and he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently.

"Don't be... It doesn't bother me any longer. It's amazing how much I really don't car about that right now. and I don't think I will ever again. Since I met you... you just make me feel better inside... Content... at home" he said and she said "Yeah... that I can understand" she said and they moved back into there seats as there food arrived. They started to eat and talk some more.

"Did you have to work with him anymore?" she asked casually as they ate

"What? Who?" JOhn asked having put their last words out of his head already.

"The guy you worked with... I bet it was hard working with him after that. Did you have to anymore?" She asked and John looked across the bar to see none other than Simon Farrar walk in and he was walking straight towards them in the back.

"Yeah, I had to and I'm still it seems" JOhn said and Nat got confused for a minute and then saw Simon standing behind her.


	19. Chapter 19Smut

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**Chapter 19 ** **NC 17**

Natalie looked at Simon puzzled and then back at John. Was he saying... insinuating that Simon was the Co-worker. The one that had the affair with his fiancée.

"Natalie... Agent Mcbain... May I join you?" Simon asked and at the same time Both John and Nat spoke.

"No!" they both said and looked at each other. They smiled. Simon how ever sat down anyways.

"Simon, we're trying to have some privacy and three's a crowd. If you understand what I'm saying" Natalie told him and he just ignored her words." So whats going on with the case... other than you striking out making a deal" he said smugly as Natalie got pissed. She moved out of the booth pulling JOhn by his hand from the other side. They got out and started to just walk away from Simon and the table when she stopped briefly for a second and leaned back towards Simon.

"Well... he won't be striking out tonight... or any other night" she told him and they went to the bar to pay the tab.

"Sorry... I just couldn't help it," she told him and he smiled " it's alright... He's the one isn't he? The one who screwed up your life and the marriage you were suppose to have" He asked and she nodded.

"Yep... it was him" she said and he looked at her as he waited for change from the bar tender. JOhn looked back to Simon for a minute.

"He's still in Love with you" he said and she shook her head in confusion.

"Nah... not Simon... He's a womanizer," she said but JOhn could tell different.

"Nope, your different... Caitlyn... that was my fiancée's name... he didn't look at her like that. He didn't care to bits about her... You... you he has it bad for." He told her as he got his change and they started to walk towards the door.

"Well it just doesn't matter now does it? Cause I don't love him.. Don't care about him... I've got you, I couldn't ask for anything more" she said. As soon as they were outside the bar he turned his body quickly and kissed her deeply. Deeper and deeper he kissed her till they had to part for air.

"Come on let's go back to my place," She said still out of breath. He just smiled.

Ten minutes later they barely made it in the door with out exploding. John had his hands running up and down her body as he pulled her close to his already hard erection. Her chest was flushed up against his and he could feel her large perked nipples thru her blouse. Their mouths were devouring each other as their tongues met in the mix and danced.

John started pushing her towards the bedroom and the bed when she stopped him. She stopped everything for a moment as he stepped back wondering what was wrong. He got a confused look on his face till he saw the devilish look in her eye.

He licked his lips and wondered what exactly he was in for.

Natalie stopped him and gave him a evil smile, a sexy look. She pushed him back a few more feet so he could enjoy the show. Her show. She started running her hands slowly and softly up and down her own sides. Grazing the sides of her still clothed breasts. She ran her hands down her thighs even and started playing with the zipper on her own jeans.

John saw she was in a teasing mood. It excited him beyond belief. He watched as she still had her clothes on and was touching herself. She had one hand on her breast and was squeezing it as she let took her other hand and unzipped her own pants. He watched as she started to lower her jeans. As she started to slowly wiggly out of the denim.

John sighed as he saw her pull her pants off her feet and stand there in front of him in her black lacy undies. He watched as she got even more devilish... He watched her take one of her own fingers. Move the fabric of her panties to one side and start rubbing her core up and down.

John was smiling from ear to ear. His erection strained uncomfortably against the fabric of his jeans and he decided to play the game with her. He looked into her face. Into her crisp blue eyes. He unzipped, pushed his pants down to the floor along with his boxers. He now stood without any lower garments.

Natalie saw him standing almost naked in front of her and she was becoming more and more excited by the minute. She started moving her finger that was rubbing her outside part of her core inside now. She brought her slender finger in partial way to her clit. She started to stroke it gently.

John watched her get more excited. He got more excited. He took a hold of his penis in his hands and started to gently move his hand back and forth over it. Something he hadn't done to himself in a long time... a very long time. He watched her eyes as she watched him back. They never broke eye contact for a few minutes, as he knew he had to stop or he'd be done.

Natalie was watching him and touching herself in private parts. Parts she now decided was time for him to enjoy. For him to touch. She saw him stop touching himself and he started walking closer to her.

"I'm done playing... how bout you?" he asked and before she could give him a witty comeback he had her mouth in a deep kiss. His tongue was down her throat in a matter of seconds and his hands were now at the bottom of the hem of her shirt. He lifted it up over her head as there body lost contact for a moment. He threw it to the floor and then he saw her give him another one of those sexy smiles she had been giving him tonight.

John went to her back to unhook her Bra as she turned for him to unhook it. She brought her hands over her breasts to hold it in place when he released it.

John started kissing her back as he was unhooking it. He kissed around the hook and undid it with one hand as he reached around her with the other. He rubbed up and down her inner thigh for a second till she parted her legs a bit. He touched her sensitive area and she felt the current run thru her body. He felt her reaction and he smiled to himself knowing what he was going to do to her. One finger pushed the fabric of her panties to the side and extended into her core. He pushed his finger in deep for a few minute and then pulled it out. Turned her quickly with his hands so she was once again meeting her eyes with his.

Natalie still had her hands holding her bra up in place as she felt him turn her urgently and replace his finger inside her core. She closed her eye's briefly as he let another finer enter. She felt his lips on hers and she pushed him off her a bit. She looked into his eyes as he still had his fingers inside her, rubbing her clit now. She started to become over whelmed wit hit. She smiled softly this time knowing all control, all restraint was being lost.

John moved closer to her. Hi finger and one hand was doing torturous work on her Core. He removed his fingers from her for a second and he heard her moan out in annoyance. He laughed a bit at how annoyed she seem to be. She gave him a look as he pulled his shirt over his head and threw it to the ground. He moved closer to her. He got down on his knees in front of her and he pulled gently on her panties that were still on her. He pulled them all the way down and he helped her step out of them as he started licking his way up her thigh.

Natalie was getting lost in him. in his deliberate and tortuous actions. She felt him lick her inner thigh and her knees felt weak, She automatically widened her stance to grant him easier access, he entered her with his tongue and she gasped in pleasure.

Nibbling, sucking with this tongue and bringing in his fingers to help with the torture as she became heated, more and more heated as she started to slowly move her feet closer to the bed behind her.

John followed her backwards slowly as he was still on his knees and he still had his tongue inside her. He felt her fall herself back on the bed and he took this opportunity to get a better grip, a better hold on her. He pulled her hips with his hands. Pulling her core closer to his mouth. he started moving her hips back and forth as his tongue started to dip further and further inside her.

Natalie stared up at the ceiling for a few minutes when she swore she was seeing stars. His tongue was making her lose control. She felt him pulling her hips on his tongue more and more. Deeper and deeper. Faster and Faster as she closed her eye's an let it come. Let herself cum. She gripped her bedspread with her tight fists as she started spasming around his tongue. He is finger that was also helping to aid in her releasing.

John felt her Tightening on him. He loved that he could do that to her, make her feel this way. He didn't let up and he heard her say his name over and over again in between pants.

"JOhn...JOHN...JOHN...JOHNNNNNNNNNNNN"

Natalie finished her orgasm and he continued his actions a few more minutes to make sure she experienced it all. She finally finished and he felt her hand on his back. She started to rake her nails on his back and he pulled himself up on her.

John hovered over her, looked into her beautiful eyes. " I love doing that to you" he said and she smiled up at him.

"And I love the way you do that to me...now for you..." she said as she reached in between his legs. Grabbed on to his penis and started to softly run her finger over the sensitive line that led to the tip. Back and forth, over and over as she smiled at him wickedly. He looked down at her and he brought his mouth down to her breast, her nipple. His tongue tasted her nipples one by one as he felt her hand lose contact with his penis. He saw her start to move to get up taking his mouth on her breast with him and he pushed her back down. He pinned her with his eyes and his hard body.

"JOhn... I just want to do to you what you did to me?" she said a bit seductively.

"No... not like that... I want to be inside you, I don't want to be able to feel where you end and I begin...I want you to feel all of me inside of you. Loving you." he told her and she smiled at him.

"What ever you want" she said softly as she felt him start to push himself into her. He started taking her mouth at the same time and he started moving his erection deeper into her. To feel her warmest spot. To be a part of her body, to have them feel like one. Natalie pulled her legs around his waist pulling him in deeper. They both started moving in Unison and he continued to take her mouth with his.

Natalie began to tighten again as she saw his face. He was panting and gasping for air but managed to mumble out a few words.

"I love that I can do this to you again." He told her and she felt him close, his whole body got tense. He tensed up causing her to again orgasm off him releasing into her.

Natalie smiled as he fell forward onto her for a moment after his intense orgasm. He laid himself on her chest for a second as he became limp inside her. He moved off of her a bit and held on to her tight.


	20. Chapter 20

**ABC owns them**

**Chapter 20**

Natalie was lying on her stomach with her pillow propped up under her arms and her head. She was beginning to stir as she felt his eyes on her. She opened her sleepy ones slowly and stared right into his now smiling face.

"How long you been awake?" she asked as she started to smile back at him. Her eye's still a bit heavy and they started to close again as she got her head more comfortable on her pillow.

"Not sure... for a while" He told her as he brought his hand to her half uncovered Naked back. He started to move his fingers down her back and he saw her relax into her pillow even more as he touched her.

"Whats going on? Why can't you sleep?" She asked thru closed eyes.

John just stood silent for a minute. He kept touching her skin and feeling things. Loving things. He knew why he couldn't sleep. Why he was so awake. Why he felt so awake for the first time in a long time. Maybe for the first time in his life. She made him awake. She was the reason he couldn't sleep.

"Just can't stop thinking... I guess... that's all nothing major... go back to sleep" He told her.

"What are ya thinking about, that has you up?" she asked. John moved his hand to the top of her hair. He rubbed his way down it to its very ends. He smiled at the feel of it.

"Your uncle" JOhn said and Natalie jerked her head and her eye's open slightly.

"My uncle... wasn't expecting you to say that" she said as they both laughed and she snuggled her pillow and closed up her eye's again.

"Yeah... I guess you wouldn't... but... your uncle" he said softly and paused for a second. " He's got me thinking. He asked me a few questions about work and about..." he said and he still was very much in thought on the subject. "And about a place to settle in. To call Home I guess" He told her and she now opened her eyes wide and they were almost instantly bright.

"What else did my uncle say?' she asked him and he stared into her now awake blue eye's.

"I think...not sure but I think he offered me a job... a chief of Detectives job... in a round about way" he told her and she looked at him confused.

"Really? That's odd... we haven't had a chief of Detectives in almost a year and he was just saying the other day how we've been doing so well without one." she told him and he didn't waver his eyes.

"And odd of him to ask in a round about way... my uncle... he's pretty direct sometimes" She said being confused by things now.

"Well that's what he said he was getting at. He asked me if I enjoyed being a Fed and moving place to place."

"And what did you say?" She asked as she started to sit up in bed. He too started to sit up with her.

"I said I enjoyed putting bad people away and it never bothered me the moving place to place" he told her and she looked a bit disappointed for a second. He noticed it but she covered it quickly. After a few minutes of silence he spoke again.

"But it's got me thinking...Just the idea of leaving here... you... to go after Santoria... I don't wanna go... It kinda feels like I'd be leaving home." He told her and she gave him a small smile. He reached over and took her hand for a minute.

"No.." he said shaking his head. "It wouldn't kinda feel like it... It would...feel like it... You've become my Home and rather quickly...I was confused at first cause this is so new... cause it's been so long... actually it's never been this way for me. Anything in my past with anyone never felt this way... the way I am with you... Not even Caitlyn." He said getting really emotional. For a man who never spoke of emotions, of feelings, he was talking a lot.

"John..." Natalie started to say something but he put his hand to her mouth and stopped her.

"No, let me finish...I was unclear before. About what everything that I thought I was feeling meant... But not any more. I'm clear on what it is I'm feeling and what I want." he told her and she brought her hand to his face and caressed it.

"I know what your feeling John... You've told me already and not just with words." she told him and he closed his eye's as her warm hand continued to hold his face.

"Tell me what you want John" She told him and he didn't say a word for a few minutes, then he opened his eye's and looked at her.

"I don't want to go away from Home.. I want to stay right here with you... Cause I love you. I want to build something... Something so amazing with you." he told her and he leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

Natalie smiled under his kiss. She moved her hand to the nightstand next to the bed. She took her phone and handed it to him.

"Call Bo" She told him and he smiled more, laughed a bit. He took the phone from her and threw it back down on the nightstand.

"Its to early to call him... later... after" he said smiling at her and he started to kiss her deeply.

"After what?" she asked as she broke out of his kiss for a second.

"After this " he said as he leaned back on bed. Pulled her with him and on top of him and they started to make love.

Some time around 9am, John and Natalie were walking thru the park on their way to the station. They were holding hands and talking the whole way. Natalie was on her way to work and John was on his way to talk to Bo about wanting to take him up on his job offer. He even had a call out to his chief at the FBI to give him his notice that he would be quitting. He made a decision to finally be alive inside and to live his life. Live it with her. He was excited about it. For the first time in a long time he felt good...Happy.

Natalie walked with him thru the park talking, laughing. He had expressed himself to her again early this morning. She couldn't seem to keep the smile from her face. She felt as if she finally found it. Found the thing that seemed to always be missing in her life. Although at times she ignored the feeling of missing something. It still was always there. And now she felt Good. Better than she had ever felt before, happy. And it was all because of him.

They were quiet for a few minutes just gathering thoughts as John stopped walking. He turned to her as she stopped when he did.

"Will it be okay if I move in to your place with you till I find something?" he asked and he gave her a shy smile. She smiled back.

"Well that was subtle," she said joking.

"What?" he said, acting dumb. " It really is only till I find my own place" he said and she gave him a look. "Okay...Okay.. you got me" he said and she smiled at him.

"I don't want to leave you...I wanna wake up with you everyday" he told her and she smiled brighter.

"Wow! You really are good at this word thing once you get started" she told him and he chuckled " very funny... so is that a yes" he asked and she pretended to think.

"Hmmmm...Maybe... I don't know... not really fond of the idea of a roommate" she said and he didn't think of his words they were just out of his mouth.

"Well what about a husband?" he asked .It was the first thing in his mind; his brain and his mouth blurted it out without conscious thought.

Natalie heard his husband reference and she was shocked by it. She didn't seem to be t he only one. He looked just as shocked that it came out of his mouth.

John saw her face. She was shocked probably because it was much to soon to be talking husband and married stuff. They still barely know each other. Although it seemed they were moving at warp speed with their relationship. He continued to see and hear her be dumbfounded by the idea and he got a bit disappointed. He was sure his subconscious meant what his mouth had said but he knew it was to soon.

"I'm sorry... that just kinda slipped out...I'd love to be your roommate thou" he said and then he lightened the mood. ' As long as I can share that big soft bed with you" he said with a sly smile.

"I'll think about " she said laughing as they continued to the station.

Natalie was smiling inside as she thought about his tongue slip. Him her husband, she thought. Now that she would like. When it was time. She told herself as they discussed having dinner with her family at Llanfair tonight. She convinced John that it would be fun to go with her. John had already met half her family at Brenna's Party but he was never introduced to her mom.

John would've normally stayed clear of people. He wasn't much of a people person but for her, for her he'd do anything. He also thought it would give him a better opportunity to get to know her family better. Get to know her better. In preparation for when the time was right. For when they would be husband and Wife. Because to John, for the first time... he knew. It was one hundred percent clear to him that he would be her husband and her, his wife one day.


	21. Chapter 21

**ABC owns them**

* * *

**Chapter 21**

John and Natalie walked into the Station and there wonderful mood broke a bit as they the first person they saw upon entering was Simon. And Simon wasn't alone... Buck... Agent Billy was with him.

"Not the two people I wanted to see this morning" Natalie said with a discouraging tone. John stopped them from walking as he saw the two agents start towards them. John turned to Natalie and looked into her eye's. He took her hands that were now by her waist and he held them out in front of them.

Natalie saw him take her hands. Stare into her face and then she heard his words.

"I might as well do this now cause after I'm your boss it would be inappropriate" He said catching her off guard and he pulled her by her hands and kissed her just as Simon and Billy were approaching.

A long heated kiss that went on for a few minutes as Simon and Billy stood in front of them waiting for them to come out of it.

Simon was getting pissed by the minute. Billy was being his ignorant self and just stared.

"Damn! They still haven't come up for air" Billy said turning to Simon and Simon got pissed and cleared his throat loudly.

Natalie pulled out of the kiss first. She was groggy and had a small sly smile on her face.

"Oh... excuse us... didn't realize where we were" She said and John smiled at her innocent sounding words. She looked at his face and he seemed to be holding in a grin.

"A few minutes more we would've had to call the Paramedics" Billy said chuckling. JOhn chuckled to at Billy's comment and looked at Simon who wasn't finding all this amusing.

"Now that we have your attention" Simon said smugly" John... we need to discuss the Petey Santoria case with you... if you don't mind excusing us Detective Buchanan" Simon said and Natalie nodded her head and went towards her office.

"Whats up? and why are you back in Llanview Billy? And where's Tony?" John asked as they walked to a interview room.

"He'll be here in a minute. He went to go get some files that were faxed here by the Vegas Office" Simon told him and Then Billy spoke.

"Simon here thought it best for me to come and try my hand at cracking Pauly but no luck... he's only interested in talking nice to your redhead" Billy told John and they both saw Simon flinch when Billy called Nat John's.

John observed Simon's disposition. It was really bothering him that he and Natalie were apparently together. John knew now without a shadow of a doubt that Simon was in love with her.. Still in Love with her. He shook his head. They still hadn't discussed the trick that Simon used on her. He and Nat still and so much to discuss. He was brought out of his thoughts as Tony walked into the room with them.

"I've got the files... it says there was a sighting of Santoria in his home town in Great neck, New York." Tony told the three and he stepped back and showed them the files. The four Agents discussed the case and then decided to leave for lunch.

They were all walking out when John turned to Tony.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" JOhn asked Tony. They waved to them telling them they'd catch up to them later as they walked back near the doors of the interview room. They stood outside the doors talking when they were unaware Simon had followed them back and was listening.

"What's up John?" Tony said sensing his partner had something important to tell him.

"We've been partners... friends for awhile and I wanted to tell you before you found out by someone else... I quitting the bureau" John Told Tony and Tony didn't look all that shocked by his news.

"You're not surprised by my news?" John asked him and Tony smiled.

"Nope... thought it might be coming to this" Tony told him and Tony continued to Smile

"You did? Did you? Why? What made you think that?" John asked him.

"A certain redhead. The way you look at her. The way she looks at you. You're lucky, you know? Both of you. to have found each other. I wish you lucked, John. I'm gonna miss having you as my partner but... but I really am happy you found somebody. A life." Tony told him and John went over and shook his hand.

"Thanks for understanding and for putting up with me all these years" John told him as they shook hands. " No problem" Tony told him " You give your notice yet?" Tony asked him " Been trying all day, waiting for Carters to call me back" John told him.

John and Tony talked for a few minutes about John taking a job here in the police department. John had just excused himself when his phone rang. He saw on the caller Id it was his Chiefs at the FBI's office and he picked it up quickly hoping to get this all over with and settled before he saw her for dinner tonight.

"Yes Sir. I understand Sir. My last assignment will be to find Santoria in Great neck. I understand Sir." John said concluding his call with Chief Carters. He hung up his phone and shook his head.

John's boss told him he was obligated to finish up the Santoria case before he would accept his resignation. John sighed deeply. He didn't like that idea. He knew she wouldn't like the idea. They just wanted to be together and not apart. Not ever. But there wasn't anything he could do about it. He knew he had to leave tonight and head to great neck in search of Petey and hopefully he'd be able to find him right away.

JOhn walked into the Detectives office. He saw her at her desk and he went close to her.

"Hey" he said not to loud so the other detectives could hear him.

"Hey yourself" she said back all smiles.

"Do you have time to talk?" John asked and she got a confused and curious look on her face.

"Is something wrong?" she asked him and he shook his head no.

"No, not really wrong just something we need to discuss" He told her and then he forced himself to smile. He saw she seem to be getting worried about it.

"It's nothing really, don't worry" he told her reassuring her and then he saw her relax a little.

"I actually have a lot of paperwork to do if I'm gonna be able to shower and get changed up after work for Dinner at my mom's. Can we discuss it later? If its not that important?" She asked him and he smiled a bit weakly as he told her it was fine and that he had a few things to do. He told her he'd meet her at Llanfair if that was alright and she told him she'd see him there around 7.

John knocked on the door at Llanfair. He was a bit nervous and he still had the news of him having to go away and leave her tomorrow morning on his head. He knew he needed to tell her. It would've been so much easier to just ask her to skip this tonight. Him meeting her mom but he knew it was so very important to her. She had told him many times how important her mom was to her and he wanted to prove to her how serious he was about her. Prove to her family too. Prove to them what kind of man he was and how much he cared and was in Love with Natalie. He saw the door open and he smiled as he saw her smiling face looking back at him.

"Hey. You're finally here" She said as he started to walk in to meet her. He smiled as he did and went over to her and gave her a kiss on the Lips. A tender kiss that went on for a few minutes. A kiss that was more about him wanting to feel more secure about what was upon them tonight. Meeting of her family.

They were actually still kissing when they heard a slight giggle come from the by the library doors. They broke out of the kiss slowly. They laughed, as all they saw was the backside of Brenna as she ran into the library towards the rest of the family.

Natalie smiled up at John." I guess we've been caught" she said as she took his hand and walked them towards the Library. Before they walked in the room completely Natalie turned to him, as she felt strange. " Is everything alright John?' she asked upon seeing his reluctant face.

"I'm fine a bit nervous about seeing and meeting your family. And... and I still have to speak with you about a few things." he said and she felt the strangeness again.

Natalie stopped them from walking with her next question.

"Why don't you just tell me already? Tell me what it is and then you'll be able to relax and meet my family" She told him and He thought maybe it would just be best to tell her. It really wasn't a big deal. The whole him having to go away thing. The whole leaving her temporary thing but... but for some reason he felt as if it was. Something about it felt off. Strange, Wrong even but he shook the feeling off thinking it was his imagination.

John thought for a second about telling her but then decided not to. He wanted her to enjoy this night. He didn't want her all upset over it the rest of the night. He looked at her and gave her another small kiss reassuring her that it was nothing having to do with how he felt about her. They broke from the kiss quickly as they heard voices close to them.

"See... I told ya... kissing" They heard Brenna say as they both got a bit Red in the face and turned to see who was watching them kiss with Brenna.

Slowly turning they saw all of them. Almost the whole family. Natalie was speechless for a second till she found her voice and herself. She ok John's hand and walked closer to her glaring family. She laughed at his expression. He was shocked and wasn't sure what to do.

Natalie walked over to the crowd. Did ya all see enough or should we kiss again?" she told them and most of them laughed. Neither Asa, nor Clint found it amusing.

Dinner went well. John never left Natalie's side. He could see her father and her grandfather from the other side of the room staring at them. At him, at times but he tired not to let it get to him.

John and Natalie were now in the middle of a conversation with Nash and her Sister Jessica. They seemed close he thought to himself. Natalie and her sister seem to really get along and care about each other. He couldn't help but smile as Natalie explained things about them, about him to her sister. To her nosy sister.

"So John's living in your room at the Hotel?" Jessica asked and John almost choked on his drink. He saw Nash look at him and laugh a bit. Nash moved over to John's ear.

"Jessica isn't the one you need to worry about... the big guy.. Asa.. now he you just be concerned about. He likes to know first hand whats going on in his granddaughters lives and he doesn't think anyone is good enough for them." Nash told him and it had John thinking. Asa Buchanan did seem like a ball of hot air. He was glaring at him all night. He obviously knew that John and Natalie were sort of living together. He also Knew John was FBI, Which he remembered didn't sit well with him last time it was brought up.

John looked over at Natalie who was still talking with Jess and Nash. He turned his face towards hers. He whispered in her ear.

"I'll be right back" He said to her as he started to walk over towards Asa and Clint on the other side of the room. Natalie tired to talk. To stop him but he was gone. She got a bit worried and waited for the Fireworks to begin. Asa's Fireworks when he reamed into John.

"Excuse Me Sirs... Clint... Asa.. can I have a few words" John said and the two men smiled at him.

"Of course Son. Lets go out on the terrace" Asa Told him grinning and they walked out side. Natalie watched them walk out onto the terrace and she dropped her conversation with her sister quick and walked by the doors to try and listen.

Glad you wanted to speak Boy.. I myself have a few words for you" Asa told JOhn and JOhn already knew how to play Asa Buchanan. The man was a control freak. A take charge man and he didn't like anyone telling him what to do.

John waited out in Silence for a few minutes giving the control of opening up the convo to Asa. Clint was his normal quiet self. After a few minutes Asa did just that open up things.

"Well Son... you brought us out here what is it you want to say?" Asa told him and John nodded. It was time. He thought to himself. Time to turn their minds around to liking him. He crossed his fingers and began.

"I'm not going to beat around things. Never been in this position before. The position of having to face one's very powerful family. and.. and well it is a bit intimidating. well it was.."

"What do you mean it was Son? Do I not intimidate you?" Asa Said and gave him a smirk.

"No Sir. You do not intimidate me. I just brought you out here tonight to tell you both that. That and the fact that I am living with your daughter, your granddaughter" John said pointing to Asa with the Granddaughter part. " I don't care much whether you like me. I just don't want anything made hard on Natalie. I love her very much and I would hate to see her hurt or upset by anyone and that includes her family." John said and he took a deep breath. He saw Asa start to steam a bit and then he looked over to see Clint chuckling to himself.

"Listen here Mr government agent.. there are a few things y--" Asa started to say and John stopped him.

"No you listen here.. I will only be a Government agent for a little while longer than I will be working here in Llanview for your son Bo. And incase you next question would be why? It's because of Natalie. I've found someone I plan on being with the rest of my life and with her is where I what to be always" John said and both Asa and Clint were speechless. They looked at each other.

"That's all I wanted to say. Wanted to get off my chest. Now excuse me" John said as he walked closer to he doors of the terrace.

John walked into the Library and saw Natalie acting all nonchalantly at the window. Acting like she wasn't listening. He walked over to her smirking.

"Did ya get an earful?" he asked smiling now. " Yeah I did actually" she said smiling. He laughed. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips. She didn't care who was around. What she heard him say to them on the terrace. It made her smile. It warmed her heart cause she felt the same way.

"Lets go Home... we still need to talk" He told her and she took his hand that he had stretched out.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

John and Natalie said their Good nights and left Llanfair. Natalie was starting to feel the tension. The strangeness. They drove home to the hotel and were walking into the lobby when they saw him. Simon. Simon walked over to them the minute they walked in the door.

"What do you want Simon?" Natalie asked annoyed as it seemed he was waiting for them at the hotel. S imon just looked at her. Then he looked towards John.

"I need to speak to John. Carters wants to make sure you're all ready to leave first thing in the morning. He wants both Tony and Billy with you on this one." Simon told John and he saw her face for a brief second, Natalie's face. She didn't know yet and it was written on her face. She covered quite quickly and looked at John. John stared into her face for a second also noting her change.

"I thought you were the new head on this case? Where will you be?" John asked Simon and for some reason his answer didn't surprise him.

"I'm staying in Llanview to work on Pauly Santoria" Simon said and he wanted to break out in a huge smirk but felt it best not to.

John heard his not so surprising words and he shook his head. He knew Simon must have set things up to stay here while he was gone, Probably to get close to her again. He looked at Natalie's face. She showed no emotion what so ever in front of Simon.

Natalie heard Simon say John would be leaving in the morning. Obviously that was what he was trying to tell her today. He said he was quitting the FBI. Did he change his mind? She asked herself and then if that wasn't bad enough. She heard Simon announce that he would be staying in Llanview. She kept things hidden inside. What she was feeling. She heard John talk to Simon briefly and he start to move them towards her place.

"Tell Carters I'll be leaving in the early morning." John said and he escorted Him and Natalie to her place.

Once inside Nat's room she Thur her stuff on the table and turned to him. John walked closer to her.

"This is my last assignment. I put my resignation in and I was told I need to finish up on this last lead. I think it's the right thing to do. I worked this case for the past three years. I'd really like to see it to the end if I can." He said and she walked away from him briefly. She walked into the bedroom and by the window. She looked outside. He started to walk up behind her as he spoke.

"Don't be mad. I'm hoping it won't take long and your uncle is holding the job for me" He told her as he brought his hand to her shoulder. They stood silent for a few minutes.

"Natalie… say something... anything. You know I don't want to leave you. Right? Please don't be mad" He asked her and after another few minutes she finally spoke

"I'm not mad that you have to go, or that you believe that you need to go… I'm just disappointed… upset. Upset that you won't be here with me for a while. I've really gotten used to having you around." She told hi m as he brought his arms around her from behind.

"I know… Me too" he said as his head nuzzled up against her ear

"I ...I just... I'm just afraid all of a sudden. I don't know why… it's just… I'm afraid you won't be coming back to me… I feel like for the first time in my life I have something that's so right. Somewhere I fit and I just want to hold on to it with both hands and never let it out of my sight" She told him and he turned her with his hands and looked into her eyes.

"I'm afraid too. Afraid of those things as well as a few others… " He told her and she looked at him curious like

"Like what?" She asked. He took her hand and they sat on the bed.

"Like Simon Ferrar... Like the fact that we haven't discussed what you and he had, what happened between the two of you." He told her and she was about to open her mouth and say it was no big deal and not important when he just looked at her. Staring into her eyes.

"If you're worried about Simon coming between us... Because you think he's still in Love with me... your worried for nothing. " She told him and he gave her a half smile.

"It worries me that we haven't discussed it, that I know so little about it. That there's things about you that I don't know " He told her and she shook her head gently

"See John… other than a few bad mistakes I've made in my life… the thing is… you probably know more about me than anyone else does." She told him and he smiled still a bit weakly.

"It makes me insecure Natalie... I doubt cause I don't know what to expect " He told her trying to make her understand that it was just something he needed to know.

"I'm not going to keep it a secret from you… it's not from anyone in town… but… you being insecure… it feels a bit like maybe... " She said shaking her head never mind.

"No! ...Say it " John told her.

"Your insecurity makes me feel as if you don't trust me. I'm not someone who easily falls in Love and I certainly don't fool around. I can understand why you're so leery cause of you being hurt. But John..." She said and she looked even deeper into his eyes. "I'm not Caitlin " She said and he picked up her hand and brought it to his mouth.

"And I'm not Simon Ferrar" He said as he kissed her hand. They stared for a few minutes till she just started to speak of it. She stood and walked inside to the couch.

"Simon was working on a case. The LPD was helping him, I was helping him. It was obvious to everyone but me at the time he was interested in me. But at the time I was blissfully in Love with Chris... going to be married soon. So I guess... I just ignored the signs." She said as she pulled a throw pillow to her chest and held it close to her.

"The case went on for a few months with Simon and I working a lot of hours together. Chris ... well... he was upset about it at first but then I explained it was work and he trusted and understood me so he didn't push. " She told him and continued to hold the pillow tight to her.

"Simon was just a friend at that point… I mean... I enjoyed his company but… but I was suppose to marry Christian in a few weeks and nothing was going to stop that. Well... at least I thought nothing..." She said as she trailed off for a few minutes. She came back out of her head. She Looked at John.

"It turns out… Simon… he had some pictures of Chris and a Whore in bed together. He had them sent to me about... about a week before my wedding. Of course I didn't know they were a fake and of course I didn't know at the time who had them sent… and guess who was there to pick up the pieces of my heart that he orchestrated in breaking??? I'll give ya one guess " She said with a fake smile as she got up from the couch and walked back inside by the window in the bedroom.

"What happened when you got the pictures?" John asked as he walked up behind her.

"What do ya think?? I called off the wedding... Chris denied them to be true... He kept denying it. My family ...they told me there must be a misunderstanding, my life spiraled out of control. I spiraled out of control and guess who was oh so available and willing to be there for me… a shoulder to cry on so to speak. No other than good old Federal Agent Ferrar. " Natalie said as she felt his arms circle her. She leaned into his back and rested comfortably.

"I turned to Simon... In all ways... My relationship with my family became strained the minute He and I got were together… he did some … lets just say some not so nice stunts with my family and of course the Chris picture thing." She said just feeling content in his arms.

"What else Happened Natalie?? What happened when you found out? " John asked nuzzling her neck and starting to sway them back and forth very slowly.

"When I found out... when I realized just how deep his obsession with me went...Well lets just say... It was ugly… really ugly... I basically showed him the door. He tried his best to get out of it. Told me why he was so obsessed with me. Th-"

"That he was in love with you" John said finishing her words. Natalie turned her body in his arms. " yeah " She answered him softly as they stared into each other eyes. "He's still in love with you " John told her softly almost a whisper.

"yeah ... I know… I know but..." She said as she walked away from him and towards the bed. He followed her over.

"But... I never loved him. I don't think I ever really loved Chris either. Cause... cause My heart is so much more intense when it comes to you... " She Told him and he smiled a small genuine smile. He brought his arms to her waist gently and then he started to slowly move them the few feet it was to the bed. Walking backwards and falling them back on the bed as he heard her beautiful reassuring words.

"I Don't Love any one like I love you... I Love You John " She said as he came down on her lips the minute their bodies crashed down on the bed.

Her on top of him they savored every moment of their lovemaking

**To be continued...**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

John woke around four in the morning. He had a few minutes before he had to get ready to go, to leave. To leave her and this place. It was only temporary and he knew that but… but it was so hard to leave her now. Now that he had just found her.

He watched her as she slept snuggling with her pillow. She was in a deep sleep. She was exhausted and who wouldn't be. He was too. They had made love most of the night knowing they wouldn't be together for a while. For a week, a month, three months... He stopped that train of thought as he ran his hands down her long red hair. He loved the way it felt. The way it looked, the sheen to it even. He just loved everything about it, her.

John snuggled down close to her as he wanted to see her beautiful face before he left. He wanted a mental note of how she looked sleeping after a long night of lovemaking. He brought his face close to hers and laid his head down on the pillow next to her. He just watched her for a few minutes. Smiling and Staring. Telling himself how lucky he was. Lucky to have someone in his life, someone like her.

He thought for a few minutes about how insecure he was last night. How they had talked about her relationship with Simon. How she helped to wipe away his doubt. His insecurities. She loved him and she proved it to him time and time again last night. Not only in their love making but… but with every word, very touch, every stare. There wasn't A insecure bone in his body after last night.

He smiled at her as he saw her make a face in her sleep. He kissed her gently and he got out of bed to get ready for the lonely days ahead working his last case for the FBI.

John was all ready to go. She was still asleep in bed snuggled with that pillow of hers. He laughed. "You sure do love to snuggle with that damn pillow" he said out loud quietly and he saw the smile before he heard the words. " Not as much as I love to snuggle with you" she said. She opened her eyes and saw he was dressed. She started to get up to see him off but he stopped her with his hand.

"No...Stay in bed… with your pillow.. " He said and grinned " its early… and... I've got to go... I'm already late" He told her and she got a bit misty. She just nodded her head as she stared into his eyes.

"Loving you was so unexpected " he said out of no where feeling the sadness of leaving her.

"It is so unexpected... Not sure where I'm going with this… it's just… Hell!! I Love you so much" he said and he grabbed a quick kiss before he changed his mind and got back in bed with her. He started towards the door. He looked back at her briefly. She was all teary yet she smiled weakly at him. She didn't say a word but she mouthed an I Love you. He smiled weakly again this time and he turned to leave.

"I'll call when ever I can… any and every possible chance I can" he said and he was out the door. 

Natalie woke hours ago and she got ready for work. It usually didn't take her that long to get showered and ready but she felt like she had no umph… no ambition today… no nothing. She was already missing him and he had only been gone for a few hours but the thought that maybe he'd be gone a long time. Weeks… months even…It left her in a some what paralyzing state.

Natalie sat on the couch for a minute before she was heading out the door. She thought about how this had happened and so fast. How she had fallen so completely in Love with a man she only known a short time and how he had been everything to her. How someone she knew less than a month could make her feel like she couldn't be without him. She shook her head and stood up slowly.

"Be careful John" she said to herself out loud " I need you back as soon as possible and in one piece" She also said as she headed for the door and to work.

It was sometime around Lunch time. Natalie was starving and walked into Rodi's. She had been working on the follow up to Pauly Santoria's case and she definitely needed a break.

Natalie sat at a back booth just trying to regain herself. She ordered food and was just about to head towards the pool table to play a quick game to make herself feel better when he approached her.

"Natalie" Simon said as he walked to her. Natalie was still sitting at the table and she had no other choice than to talk to him.

"What can I do for you Agent Ferrar?" Natalie asked him cold. Simon knew she would be cold to him. It had been almost two years since she had found out the truth. Although he had been in Llanview and spoken with her when she was mostly with John. Although that… he still knew if he could have a little alone time with her that he could start to win her back. Get hr to trust him again. Maybe even Love him this time. Cause for longer than the last two years, she had been the only thing occupying his brain.

"Can I sit?" he asked all gentlemanly. He knew he couldn't push her. He would have to work his charms like last time. Probably start off being her friend again after he worked on rebuilding things with her.

"No..." she said clear and exact. Natalie looked at him like he was crazy. She should just let him sit with her and do what exactly? Be friendly when this man caused her all sorts of pain and heartache.

"Natalie... I just want to sit and talk. That's it. Talk, like we use to before… before I screwed things up for us"

"For us... For us!!" Natalie said her toning rising for a brief moment. " You screwed things up for ME!! Me!! Get it!! Not you… Me!" She told him as she stood and started to walk passed him.

"I just want us to be friends again… nothing more… nothing less " He told her and she looked at him. He had to be crazy. Crazy to think she would just forget everything he did. Forget it all and then just be his friend again… his lover… John was right. Simon would definitely be taking advantage of the situation with him gone. The whole situation of Simon staying in Llanview for a while longer.

"We will never be friends again. Now excuse me " Natalie told him and she left the bar heading home.

Simon continued to stand and watch her walk away. He watched her walk all the way to her car thru the window of the bar.

"We will be friends again Natalie... I'll make things up to you and we'll be more than friends again. "

**To be continued...**


	24. Chapter 24 NC 17

**Chapter 24**

It had been two weeks since John had left. Two long weeks and Natalie was feeling more lonely than she ever had. It was amazing she thought as she sat on her couch watching a few reruns on Television. She had been alone her whole life till she came to Llanview and then mostly after too. She hadn't felt half alone as she was feeling now. Now with him gone.

She hadn't heard from him much over the last weeks, one maybe two quick I'm okay phone calls and that was it. It was getting late and she was getting tired. She went into the bathroom and changed into a nightgown. Got into bed and snuggled with her pillow. She closed her eyes. She started thinking about him again. She was always thinking about him. Where he was, what he was doing, if this would be over soon. But this time... this time she was trying to imagine him lying next to her, his touch. The way he touched her last and how it made her body feel...melt.

She was sighing with closed eyes when she heard her phone ring. She jumped up and looked at it. Blocked call it said on her Id. She answered it hoping it was him.

"Hey" He said as he heard her voice. " Hey yourself… How are you??" She asked as she sat up in the bed. She was smiling from ear to ear with just hearing his voice.

"I'm okay... Lonely that's all " He said as he sat in the small bathroom of a dingy hotel room.

"Yeah... I know the feeling " She told him and he chuckled a bit. " How's the case?? Nearing the end I hope " She told him and he really didn't say a word. After a few minutes he spoke again. "Not sure" Was all he said and she let out a sigh.

"Not the answer I wanted to hear" She told him " Not the answer I wanted to give you" He said and then he spoke again " I miss you" He told her and she smiled " yeah... me too!!!" She told him " Its late... you want me to let you go? So you can get some sleep" he asked and she told him no. " Nope.. I want to hear your voice as long as I can" She told him and he smiled " Good answer... hey… you laying down on our bed?" He asked her and she smiled at the word our. " Yep... Snuggling with my pillow" She told him " I wish I was that pillow right now"

"I wish you were too " She said and her voice was getting a tone to it. A bit of a devilish tone that John picked up on the other end of the phone.

"Natalie???"

"Damn John... I miss you so much... your touch… the way you feel... Are you alone?" She asked and he had a weird suspicion he knew what she was sort of getting at.

"Locked myself in the bathroom to speak to you in private… Tony's asleep in the other room"

"How appropriate" She told him seductively. He grinned his sexy grin " how appropriate for what?"

"Nothing... nothing" Natalie said as she started to push her thin straps of her nightgown down her arms. " I'm wearing the pink nightie you like so much" She told him and he closed his eyes remembering her gorgeous body is in it. " Actually... I was just wearing it... its on the floor now... How about you? Boxers today or briefs?" She asked him and he laughed at all the sexual tension between them over the phone.

"It was a boxers day... but... Not anymore" he told her as he decided to play along. As he pushed his pants and boxers to the floor. He stood and leaned his backside up against the one free wall in the bathroom. His eyes closed again.

"Natalie..." he said out of breath as he could still imagine her laying naked on the bed. " Yes John" She said breathily as she started to touch herself some. " What are you doing?" he asked and she closed her eyes. Let out a small grin. " Just imagining you here …That's all… trying to imagine what you would be doing...to me...if you were here next to me right now..." She said as she started to run her fingers over her breasts.

"Really?" he said and he smiled wider. He leaned more up against the door.

"Well…if I was there" he told her and he took his hand and started stroking himself. " I would probably be running my fingers down her neck... down further to your bare breasts... I would take my thumbs... and roll your already hard nipples back and forth. " He told her and he heard her let out a few pants... John himself was starting to quicken his breathing now as he touched himself.

"Yeah... what would you be doing with your mouth John?" She asked as her own fingers started touching her nipples over and over. She heard his next words and she arched up her back. " I'd run kisses down from your breasts... I'd latch on and enjoy them..." He said and he had to stop for a minute. He was starting to lose himself in the actions on himself.

"John... I..f... y..ou had.. your.. ..." She got sidetracked as she started arching her back up more. " John... where would you bring your hand next... down lower???" She asked him as she didn't wait for his answer. She brought her own hand down lower on her body... She brought her fingers to her center...

"Natalie..." Was all he could get out right now. " You're driving me crazy"

"You too" She said panting and feeling heated beyond belief. " John? Are you touching yourself?" She asked him and he choked the words out. " What do you think?" He said and she let out a small laugh as they both touched themselves.

" Natalie..." " JOHN..." they said as they knew what the other was doing..

"John... I'm close baby... real close..." She said and he panted out. " Me too... Where are your hands..." he asked her. " They're all over you baby... all over you... you're in them... your about to release in them... I'm guiding you with my grip" She told him and he was about to start. " And your hands...your fingers are" She started to say and he finished her sentence " there inside... My fingers… are inside you...in your warm center. Darting in and out of you...In... and Out ... of you" He said and he couldn't hold on to it any longer.

Natalie heard him get almost silent except for a few small grunts.. " Oh… Natalie.. babe.. I..." "John!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Natalie let out as she plunged her finger into herself one last time imagining it was him... imagining his fingers, his hands were what was causing her to release.

"John... I'm almost done… almost" She told him " your fingers… your large fingers ... JOHN!!!!!!!!!!!" She said and she was done.

"Natalie...OH...Oh...Natalie ... I love you… I love you so freaking much..." He said upon the end of his release.

"I Love you too John… you better be coming home soon… real soon... I need you here with me" She told him as she grabbed her pillow and started to snuggle with it.

"I know… I know… I'll be back soon...as soon as I can... I promise " He told her and he envisioned her snuggling in their bed with him.

**To be continued...**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

A few more days went by making almost three weeks since John was gone. Natalie hadn't heard from him since their phone encounter and she was yet again wondering when he'd be back. She had been working so much. Trying to be busy so she wouldn't think about him. It was near impossible. She walked into Rodi's to meet Rex for Dinner as she saw him. Simon sitting in a table near the back of the bar.

Natalie sighed out in frustration. Simon was everywhere these past weeks. At the station. Here at Rodi's. He did keep his distance some. She hated it. He should be the one away on the case. John should be the one here ... and with her. She walked to the pool table. She picked up a stick and started to play as she waited for her brother to show.

Her back was to him but she knew he was standing there. " Wanna play?" Simon asked and she ignored him at first. " Natalie... I know you think I'm up to something.. but I'm not.. It's been a few years.. I've changed some… matured too. A game of pool isn't going to hurt anything." He told her and she looked at him.

They were silent for a few minutes. " I'm not up to anything… and… I get your with Mcbain… I know you won't believe this but… I wouldn't do anything… nothing like I did in the past... nothing to get between the two of you" He told her.

"All I'm asking is if we can be civil to each other… maybe play a game of pool" He told her. She took a deep breath. As much as she wasn't sure she believed him… she did think about how he didn't pressure her these last weeks with John gone. He had kept his distance for the most part and didn't try anything with her. She shook her head yes reluctantly.

Simon got a pool stick off the rack and started playing pool with her. He even saw her smile a few times. They weren't having such a bad time together. They played a few more games as they heard her phone start to ring.

Natalie quickly grabbed her phone out of her pocket. She smiled as she hoped it was him. " Hey..." She said Beaming " Hey... how's things?" She asked, " Better now that I hear your voice" he said shyly and she blushed some. " What are ya doing?" He asked "At rodi's playing pool. Was waiting for r--"

"Hey Nat… you want another beer?" Simon called out to Nat when he saw her wide smile on her face. He knew he was loud enough for John, who he was pretty sure was on the phone to hear. Natalie nodded her head no. As Simon acted like he was unaware she was on the phone.

"Oh, I'm sorry… didn't know you were on the phone" Simon said.

John heard his voice. His words and he was steaming. " Natalie" John said trying not to sound mad or angry "John… I was waiting for Rex who I think stood me up...thats all"

"Hey Nat if you want we can finish this game of pool tomorrow" Simon said in the background and Natalie closed her eye's knowing this wasn't going to go over well with John. Not while he was hundreds of miles away and not with the way he was somewhat insecure about Simon.

"The two of you are playing pool?" John questioned not harshly but the jealousy, the insecurities was in his voice.

"Yes... John... but its nothing babe… nothing.. Please don't read into this... I don't want this call to be about Simon Ferrar or anything else. I want it to be about you and me and how much we miss each other and how much I'm looking forward to you coming back soon." she told him and she could tell he relaxed some.

"You're right" " I know I am" She told him and he chuckled. " Actually... we caught a bit of a break… we may be back in a few weeks... if it all pans out..."

"a few weeks?" Natalie questioned not wanting to hear weeks... days... Hours maybe... Weeks... no.

"Natalie... I know your disappointed its not sooner but... when its all done... I'll be there and I'm not leaving again… not ever. You're my something... remember and it will all be perfect." He told her now putting her at ease. They spoke for a few more minutes and then he had to go. They exchanged I Love you's and she ended the call to see Simon still sitting in the bar.

Simon walked over to her when her call ended. " I take it Mcbain didn't like the fact that we were playing pool" He asked her and she nodded her head yes.

" How's the case? Did he say?" Simon asked her and she was confused by his questions. " You should know yourself… you're a part of it aren't you?" She asked him suspicious again. " Yeah... I'm part of it but... we have no real contact with them... he's really not suppose to be even calling you" Simon told her and she felt bad for a minute. "Sorry... I didn't mean to be harsh," she told him and he smiled inside. "He was breaking down her wall"

"That's fine.. I know it must be hard ... hard for you to feel so helpless in this.. I remember how you like to feel like you can help." he told her knowing exactly what he was doing... planting into her head. He knew her a little to well.

Natalie was silent for a few minutes. " Simom... do you think Pauly Santoria would still be willing to give up his brother? " She asked him.

"Probably but.. Natalie.. No! I know what you're thinking and not sure its a good idea… your uncle... he and John would have a real problem with it." Simon told her and she looked at him with hope in her eyes. If she could get the info from Pauly about his brothers where a bouts… then John would be coming home sooner.

"You would have my back right?? You said you wouldn't let anything happen to me " She asked him " yeah… but they made it pretty clear you weren't to be used like that"

"But I'm a big girl... Help me Simon… Set it up..." She told him and he looked at her.

" You really want him back here that bad huh? You miss him that much?" he asked her " Yeah.. I do" She said and he got out his phone to make a few phone calls and set it up.

The next day came fast for Natalie. Simon had set up a meeting at Statesville for her to speak with Pauly Santoria. Natalie was nervous and excited at the same time. She was to meet Simon at the prison.

Simon set it up so he would observe the conversation between Natalie and Pauly on the closed TV circuit. It was perfect. Paul would be reluctant and not give her any info. She would feel like she failed John, be upset... impatient... and turn to him.

Simon was just walking to meet her at the prison when his phone rang.

"Hey... what's up Billy? What do you mean you've got Petey... You're on your way to headquarters?? Okay... okay… thanks for the heads up... what? Mcbain figures he'll be back in Llanview by the morning. All right. Thanks… good work"

Simon met Natalie by one of the prisons interagation rooms. He knew he had to act fast. He was hoping to have more time to win her back. To show her he could be all things to her but… but Damn it!! Mcbain caught his guy!! He thought to himself as he heard her sweet voice talk to him.

"All set? I want this over with… I want John back with me" She told him and he nodded his head. Led her into the interagation room. Simon Left her alone with a chained and seated Paul. he went into the other room to watch .

"So gorgeous... I see you want to make things up to me... You could've worn something a bit.. A bit...trashier than that... but then… if you lose a few buttons… that top It'll work" He told her and she was instantly repulsed by him.

"I'm not losing anything… you're gonna redeem yourself and help put your brother away... help the feds find him and then… then… you won't be wearing those chains and that warm color orange. " She told him as she got close to him some. She was breathing warm air on his body. Playing his game. She was getting closer to try and persuade him some. Not real close.

Simon watched in the other room. It was getting to him, as much as he thought this was the best plan of action. To play hero when Pauly made advances. To be there for her when she failed. He just couldn't. He went to the room.

"Now red... lets talk about undoing buttons and then... we'---" Paul was saying as Simon walked into the room. He noted Pauly was to close to Natalie. He pushed Pauly to the wall in his chair.

"Its over" He told a dumbfounded Natalie and he took her arm gently and guided her out the door,

"What's going on?" Natalie asked him. She was a bit mad. " This wasn't such a great idea.. He would just string you along... I've changed my train of thinking.. Pauly Santoria would never rat out his brother… its not in him." Simon told her. She was still a bit pissed and she walked away from him feeling frustrated.

Natalie really wanted to help. To do what she had to, to get info for John. She wouldn't have gone that far with Pauly… just lead him on and although she wasn't fond to of Simon still… She.. She trusted he wouldn't let anything happen to her. She drove back to Llanview.

Natalie ended up going to Rodi's. She needed to clear her head. She was Lonely, and now tense. She still couldn't understand what had gotten into Simon.

Simon had a feeling she'd be going to Rodi's after the whole interrogation fiasco. He shook his head as he tried to come up with something... anything quick to try and prolong John coming back. He hadn't had enough time to win her over. He was driving thru Llanview when he saw something out his car window. An idea came to him. It might work… similar worked last time and he had to try something. She was all he thought about for the last years. He pulled his car over to the side of the road and got out. He approached a young punk.

**To be continued...**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Natalie sat alone at a table at Rodi's. She had a beer but it wasn't sitting right with her. It was almost making her feel ill. She slugged some of it anyways… ignoring the bad taste and feeling it was giving her.

Natalie looked around the room… the bar… she looked at the pool table. She got up and decided to play as her Cell phone went off in her pocket. She answered it as she picked up a cue stick.

"Hello... Hi mom... Yes… I'm doing alright.. No I didn't forget about Dinner at Kevin's tomorrow… No… there is no need to worry about me.. I love you too," She said and she closed her phone. She placed it down on the pool table as she begun to play pool.

Simon entered the bar looking for her. It was around 9 at night and he hadn't seen her since the prison. He spotted her right where he expected to. The Pool table. He went over towards her but first… first he bought them beers at the bar.

Natalie saw him walk over with two beers in hand. " Here" he said as she looked at him " a peace offering" He said and she ignored him and the hand with the beer for a few minutes. " Natalie... I know you're mad... disappointed… but I couldn't let you do it. Cozy up to that slime.. John wouldn't have liked it," he told her and she looked at him.

"Now you're so concerned with John... what John would like?" She told him and she didn't stop there. " Maybe you just didn't like it" She told him and he knew it to be the truth. " Yeah... you're right… I didn't. I cared a lot about you Natalie... I still care about you... I couldn't stand it and I'm positive John with the way he looks at you couldn't have stood it either." He told her honest. Probably more honest for the first time in his life.

Simon was weakening. The plan he had...he was having second thoughts. He shook his head deciding not to go thru with it.

"I'm being sent on another assignment tomorrow... Can we play one game for old times?" He asked her and she looked at him. She wasn't sure why but… but she agreed. They played pool and then Natalie excused herself to go to the ladies room.

Simon watched her walk away. She was so beautiful and he still wanted her so bad. He still loved her so much. But he knew it was over. She loved Mcbain… he had no idea why but... she did. He heard a ringing and looked down to see her phone on the edge of the pool table. He looked at it and decided to answer it. Maybe he'd get lucky and piss Johnny boy off if nothing else.

"Hello" Simon said into the phone and the other end was silent for a minute.

John heard a familiar voice on her phone. " Ferrar is that you? "John asked a bit irate. " Mcbain… what's going on?" Simon asked as he smirked. He was actually enjoying getting under his skin.

"Where's Natalie and why are you answering her phone?" John asked him and Simon could hear the arrogance in his voice. He was getting to him. Maybe Simon thought... maybe he could have another chance with her. His plan came flushing back into his brain.

"She's busy at the moment... Can I take a message?" Simon asked and John was now pissed off even more. "Where is she?" " She's in the bathroom." Was all Simon said and John hung up. Simon put her cell phone back down on the edge of the table where it was. He saw her beer sitting next to it. He reached into his pocket. Pulled out what he had bought on the streets and emptied it into her beer bottle. He swirled it around a few times.

John was fuming inside. He was driving back to Llanview and would be there in another hour or so. He didn't want to jump to conclusions. He trusted her. Simon Ferrar on the other hand… he didn't trust him at all. But something wasn't sitting right. Why the hell was Simon answering her phone? There must be a explanation for it. For all of it. He tried to ignore the jealousy that was building up inside but he was having a hard time of it. He started to remember her words and he knew he was being crazy… nuts.

Flashback

"I Love you John Mcbain"

end FB

John felt better and continued driving towards Llanview to her. To his new life.

Rodi's

Natalie came out from the bathroom And walked over to Simon still at the Pool table. " I'm tired... think I'm heading home... stay safe on your next assignment" She told him and he nodded his head. He almost let her leave when he called back to her. " A few more minutes of your company… please… my next assignment is out of the country... not sure if there will be anyone there who even speaks English." he told her and he saw she was reluctant but stayed a few minutes more anyways. He handed her, her beer.

**To be continued...**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Natalie stayed a few minutes with Simon at Rodi's. She took a few slugs of her beer and it tasted even worse to her than it did earlier. Simon raised his beer in a toast and she did too. She slugged some more of it down. After a few minutes she started to feel even worse.

"I've gotta go... I feel weird," She told him and He looked on concerned. " Natalie are you alright?" he asked and she swayed some. " You don't look good. Let me take you home" He said and her vision became blurred at first. She looked at him and she could have sworn she was looking at John. She smiled for a minute at Simon.

"John..." She said and he took her arm and put it over his shoulder. " Lets go home," He told her and she went willingly.

Angel Square Hotel

John was walking to their place. The place they had been sharing. It was after ten and he had seen her car in the parking lot. He had hoped she was sleeping and he could just sneak in bed with her and surprise her. He was a little taken back by Simon answering her phone earlier and he decided not to call back. He decided to just surprise her in person and then after they made love he would get to the bottom of why Simon Ferrar had her phone. Why he had answered it.

He opened the door quietly with his key and he went into a dark room. He moved quietly but heard something. A rustling of sorts. He walked into the bedroom and he felt as if his heart was being ripped out. He saw them... Simon and Natalie… standing close and Simon was undressing her. She was letting him. She seemed to be enjoying it. John watched mortified for a minute and then looked away disgusted. He headed for the door when he knocked into the couch making a loud noise.

John looked back to see if they heard the noise and caught sight of Simon kissing his way down her neck. Natalie however didn't look. He noticed for a split second she didn't look right.. He shook his head ' who the #$ cares how she looks' he said to himself angrily as he started walking to the door more. He stopped just short of leaving the apartment as he heard her say his name. He refused to look back and he slammed the door in disgust.

Simon saw John leave. He saw the look in Natalie's eyes. She was still staring at him. Thinking... believing in her mind she was being undressed by John. She never even knew John was really in the apartment. He tried to smile. To feel triumph but... but he knew she would be broken hearted tomorrow. Tomorrow when she found out John Mcbain left town for good. Which he was pretty sure would happen. John always ran… left… this time would be no different.

Simon moved his hand down her beautiful face for a second feeling her soft skin. He knew this time when she fell apart... this time when she lost all control of her life. This time he wouldn't stop helping her put it back together. Once John was gone completely she would eventually love him.

Simon went in for a kiss and felt her body go limp... he caught her in his arms completely.

John left that place. What he once thought of for a brief time as their place. He ran out of the angel square hotel and he walked for blocks just trying to get his anger at bay. Just trying to think clearly but all he could see in his head was them… her… touching.

A few hours later he found himself at the police station. He walked in. Went to Bo's office and started to leave him a note telling him he was sorry and that he couldn't take the chief job after all. He couldn't be here with her in this town.

Hospital...Next morning

"Natalie… can you hear me??? Nat??" Michael Mcbain asked her as he took his doctors light and tried to wake her. " What's going on? Where... where am I?" Natalie asked and Michael just examined her more.

"You're at the Hospital Nat" Michael told her and she started to stand a bit groggily.

"What? How did I get here? What Happened?" She questioned confused and a bit disoriented

"An Ambulance brought you in a few hours ago. " He told her and she felt her head " ouch.. My head hurts..." She said and she held it more.

"I don't understand… How?? How did I get here? And who called an ambulance?" She asked questioning Michael who just looked at her without any answers.

"Not sure Nat… Not sure ... you've been unconscious since you were brought in. Jess was here for a while… she signed to have a few tests run on you... "

Natalie asked Where Jess was now and he told her that she had to get Brenna from School. That Jess said she would be back as soon as possible. The whole Time Michael was speaking she was holding her head and flinching in pain.

"I'll have the nurse bring you something for that." Michael said as he could see the pain in her face. " What?? What did the tests results say Michael? What did you test me for?" Natalie asked as she and Michael both turned to see a nurse walk in with something for Nat's head and her test results. Michael carefully looked them over. Her reports. He read them to himself and he looked up at her concerned.

"Natalie... I know my brother is on a assignment but… is there any way you can get in touch with him... Does he answer his cell phone?" Michael asked her and it alarmed Natalie… That and the fact that her head hurt so badly. Also the fact that she really couldn't seem to focus.

"No Michael... I have no way of contacting him and… and… what the hell is going on? What does the tests show?" She asked just wanting him to spill it. She had no patience at this moment.

"We... We found something in your blood work... Natalie… who were you with last night? Do you remember anything about where you were?" Michael asked her and she got off the table.

"Why the hell would you be asking me that… those questions? What does my blood show?!" She questioned him getting a bit more tired and impatient.

"There are small traces of Rohyphol in your system" He told her and he saw her face go even whiter.

" Rohyphol… like the date rape drug... like a roofie… you think someone slipped me a roffie last night? That's impos---" Natalie was shocked at his words. She was about to tell him it was impossible when she realized what she remembered last. Having a beer with Simon. She didn't say another word. She didn't hesitate heading for the door. She heard Michael trying to get her attention but she ignored him.

"Natalie... Natalie wait... I found something else in your blood workup... it's important" He told her but she ignored him and left the room.

**To be continued...**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

John sat on a bench in the park almost all night. He just looked at the statue of an angel. He left the note for Bo. He was headed out of town. Away… far away from Llanview... from her… from them but something… something stopped him. He couldn't put his finger on it... a feeling... like something was off. Not right. He shock his head as he got up from the bench. He stood but never moved from the spot. He saw her face in his mind. He closed his eyes. He could still hear her telling him she loved him. He could almost still feel her touch. How could she? He asked himself as last nights scene played in his head. Not really a scene but what he had witnessed.

John saw it all clear in his mind. Simon was undressing her. She was letting him. Her hands were thru his hair like they always ran thru his. He saw her eyes briefly. They didn't seem right. There was nothing right about any of this. Off… that was the word for all of it. He heard his phone ring in his pocket and he came out of his thoughts.

"Hello" John answered " Thank God John... I didn't even know if I'd reach you." Michael told him " Yeah… my assignment is over… What's up?" John asked not in the mood for small talk. " Not sure where you are but... but... it's Natalie."

"What about Natalie?" John asked, " how far from Llanview are you? How fast can you get to the hospital?" Michael asked, " I'm in Llanview. I'll be right there" John told him and rushed over there.

Hospital

John a rrived at the Hospital ten minutes later he rushed into the Er and saw Michael immediately. " Michael… where is she?? Is everything alright?" John asked and Michael took him to the side so they could talk in person.

"She's not seriously hurt or anything... She was brought in by ambulance this morning... I … I ran a few tests on her " Michael told his now extremely worried brother.

"What kind of Tests and where is she?" John asked freaking inside. He forgot all about what he thought he saw in her apartment last night. His only concern at the moment was if she was all right .

"She was unconscious when she was brought in… A black out of some sort... I ran blood tests...She left after I told her the results… well some of the results" Michael told him and John looked at him even more concern. He now knew something was definitely off... wrong.

"Michael… tell me wh--" John was saying as Michael cut his words off.

"Natalie was in that room to the left... I think I may have left her chart in there… I need to check on a few patients first and then I'll have a nurse retrieve it..." Michael told John and he winked at him. John got the hint. Knew exactly what Michael implied.

Michael moved out of sight and John entered the room she was last in. He found her chart and started to read it.

He read something and got a bit shocked and then he read another line. " That Son Of a Bitch!! " He yelled out loud. John hurried out into the hall to find Michael with a quick question.

"Mikey… quick… does it have any affects... can it cause any harm?" John asked him and he knew exactly what he was asking. " No john… there wasn't enough in her system to having any lasting affects on a fetus" Michael told John as he looked at his brother starting for the door. Michael called out to John before he was completely gone. " She didn't leave to long ago and Johnny.. I didn't have a chance to perform other tests nor" He said and he paused to see John face. His upset face." nor ... did I get a chance to tell her about the good news. Make sure she comes back in to be rechecked when you find her." Michael called out to his brother. John just nodded his head yes to Michael as he ran out the door.

Natalie had been looking for him for almost an hour now. Looking for that bastard Simon Ferrar. She was beyond mad… beyond pissed. Her head was still hurting and she felt as if she could barely walk. But she did. She walked up to the Roof at the Hotel... She wasn't sure why only that it was a special place for her and Simon knew that. If he wasn't already out of town maybe... maybe he would come here to feel close to her… maybe the bastard would feel bad about what he had done to her.. Done to her... she shook her head. She couldn't think about that now… Now the roof may be a long shot but she had no other ideas where to look for him.

Natalie slowly opened the door to the roof. She saw him the minute she opened it. He too saw her. He looked at her as he stood by the edge of the roof. He turned back towards the side of the roof. He looked at the cars.

"Look at me… you son of a bi tch!!!" She said as she approached him. " What the hell did you do to me last night??" She yelled at him as she pushed him back from the side of the building some. She looked him straight in the eye now but he was silent. Remorseful even.

"Tell Me!!!" She told him after a few minutes of him not talking... not saying a word… She got even madder... She brought her fist back and punched him in the gut.

"Stand up straight you Bastard... Look me in the eye and tell me what you did to me? And why you would do that to me?" She told him as she saw him stand up straight. She heard a slight whisper come from his lips.

"I.. I couldn't do it.. I didn't want it that way," He said and before she had a chance to say anything back John came barreling thru the Roof doors. He didn't stop to look at her. He had heard her confronting him outside the doors. He walked over to agent Ferrar and took him by the collar. He threw him to the sidewall on the roof and punched him in the gut a few times.

"I could kill you right now ... right now you piece of trash" He said and he threw him to the ground before he really did kill him.

"John... You know??" Natalie questioned and he looked at her for the first time since walking on the roof. " Yeah… I know..." John said abrupt " I ... When did you get back?" She asked more confused now. " That's not important… taking care of this piece of trash and finding out what he did to you is what's important" He told her and she shook her head. The anger that subsided for a minute upon seeing John was back.

Natalie walked over to Simon who had now picked himself up off the floor. " Be a Fucking man and look me in the eyes and tell me" She told him and he looked at her. John moved closer to them.

"I didn't 't do anything... like I said.. I didn't want it that way… I wanted you to think it was me… me you were making love to… about to make love to… not HIM!!" Simon said raising his voice some. John just tried to lunge for him again and Natalie got between them this time. She gave John a look telling him she needed to handle this. John stepped back a few feet. Not far.

Natalie looked at Simon and he started talking again... telling her. " I was going to do it… I admit that... I put the drug in your drink… took you home... was all set to make love to you when you kept calling me his name... you only wanted him… even after he saw us together and just left… like a coward… he just left and all you want is him. Never me… It has never been me you wanted." Simon told her... them. Natalie was fuming at his words and then she heard him say John saw them... and he left her with him… with Simon… couldn't he not see she wasn't right? Couldn't he have trusted her enough to confront them and see she was drugged?

Natalie turned to John. The pain of what Simon just told her evident on her face. In her eyes. " You were there? You saw him touching me? You just left?" She asked him but gave him no time to answer her questions. " Boy... " She said shaking her head " I just couldn't help myself ... could I… Another Fucking Federal Agent… I get involved with another one and get hurt again." She told them. Mainly John.

"Natalie… Please... I need to talk to you... explain.. I need to tell you something important" John tried pleading with her as he just saw her start to walk off the roof in disgust. She never turned to look at neither him nor Simon as she left.

"I hope the two of you kill each other" She said mad as she walked thru the door and down the stairs.

Natalie drove her car towards the mountain. Llantano Mountain. She stopped at a small clinic outside of Llanview before she started up the mountain. She had them do a Rape kit and she found that Simon in deed was telling the truth. That part of his story at least was the truth.

She finally reached her grandfathers cabin after a few hours. She started a fire in the fireplace and she sat on the couch just staring into it. She felt numb. Frozen just about. She couldn't focus on clear thoughts. Her head still hurt some. She popped a few Tylenols and she closed her eyes .

Natalie's thoughts were a bit tainted. She had things in her head that she had never seen before. A story or a bad dream playing out in her mind that she felt detached from. She saw it but couldn't feel it. She quickly opened her eyes as she did feel something after a few minutes.. as she remembered something.. something she didn't want to remember.. something so real.

**To be continued...**


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

John checked all over town for her. For Natalie. He and Simon went at it for a few minutes on the roof after she left. A few minutes of Name-calling and some fist fighting. John wanted to have him thrown in a jail cell so bad but he knew... knew the truth that he was a Federal Agent and that Fed's very rarely did anytime for minor crimes. Simon had said he didn't force him self on her and he knew that would be enough for the government to turn the other cheek. John was hesitant to Believe Simon's story but...but until he found Natalie and had her go back to the hospital… until he found her... he couldn't know for sure.

John was starting to feel panicky after he couldn't find her anywhere after about an hour. He racked his brain trying to think. Figure out some place maybe out of Llanview even that she would go. He had called her cell a few times and she never answered. He walked into the police station hoping her uncle could tell him where to look for her. Where she might be if she needed time alone.

"Bo… can I speak to you for a few minutes?" John asked as he walked into his office after knocking. " Sure John I hope it has to do with the note you left me about not wanting the job" Bo asked and john shook his head no.

"No... Its not... actually this is more important than that... its about your niece… about Natalie... " Bo saw John's face. He knew this man well enough to know something was wrong. " What's wrong with my niece?" Bo asked and John felt he had to explain the whole story to him just to get his help. John did explain… everything but the part about the baby... about Natalie being pregnant with his baby.

"I hated agent Ferrar the minute he walked into town years ago..." Bo said shaking his head after hearing the story. " Bo… I need to find out where she is... I need to talk to her... I know you probably think I should've gone with my gut... confronted her and I would've known there was something wrong with her but… but I've been hurt in the past and ... and I guess I'm just a jerk" He told Bo smiling weakly.

"That you are but… all men are jerks… don't you know that" Bo said trying to lighten the mood. John's horrible mood. " Any idea's where she might go?" John asked and Bo knew exactly where she was.

"Yeah... I think I know exactly where she is" Bo told him and gave him the address to the cabin and directions. John thanked him and was walking out the door when Bo called out to him.

"The job is still yours John...Natalie... she'll get over this… she's not dumb enough to let Simon Ferrar come between her and you" Bo told him and it made John smile some. He left the office and headed over to her Grandfathers cabin.

Bo watched John Mcbain walk out of his office, almost run actually. Bo was careful not to show his true feelings because he knew what John's temper was like. There was no need to get him angrier then he already was. But Bo was pissed... Mad as Hell. If he ever saw Simon Ferrar again he would kill him after what John said Simon tried to do to Natalie. Bo was so damn angry, so enraged, he couldn't see straight for a minute. A red haze clouded his vision as he thought of the terror Natalie must have gone through, was still going through. Natalie was his niece... the closest thing he had to a Daughter

Bo quickly picked up his phone and Dialed Bruce... Natalie's partner's extension.

"I need to see you now… it's about Agent Simon Ferrar"

Llantano Mountain

John approached the cabin. It was pretty late and dark. It had been a long day and he knew she was probably curled up on the couch inside resting. He looked thru the front window of the cabin and that was exactly what she was doing. She looked so beautiful lying there. Resting. He had to make her understand. He knew she would. He trusted it. Trusted what they had this time. He wouldn't be a fool and not trust what she felt for him again.

John smiled, as he didn't want to knock and wake her. She was pregnant… she needed her rest... She was pregnant... he thought again. She didn't even know it. He would have to tell her.. He smiled. It was finally sinking in... She was having a baby… his baby... He continued to smile wondering how she would feel about it. She would be excited about it… Happy about it. He thought. He remembered her telling him once about wanting kids in her life. John came out of his thoughts long enough to turn the knob of the door. To see if it was open... It was.

John entered the Cabin quietly and went over by the couch. He looked at her beautiful face and he sighed quietly. He reached over behind the couch some and took a blanket off the back of it and covered her up with it. He turned towards the Fireplace. He put a few more logs on and then he settled in on the chair opposite the couch. He faced her while she slept for a few minutes till he too fell asleep.

"Get Off of me!!! No!! Off!!!" Natalie screamed out in her sleep. Moving about and breathing heavy. John jumped the minute he heard her screams... her cries... He ran over to her the few feet to the couch and pulled her to him. She calmed but didn't wake completely at first.

"John?" She questioned coming out of her sleep state. She pulled off of him for a minute and regained herself. She pushed his arms away so he wasn't touching her. Natalie stood like nothing had just occurred.

"Natalie... are you alright? You were screaming and crying in your sleep," He told her alarmed. She was walking around the room strange and he feared that what he just witnessed. The words she just screamed out might have to do with What Simon really did to her last night. He shook his head hoping… praying he was wrong cause if he found out that Simon did it fact do something to her... He would Kill HIM!!! He came out of his thoughts long enough to watch her more closely.

"I'm fine… I guess it was just a bad dream.. When did you get here?" She asked him and it surprised him. First he was surprised how she so nonchalantly changed the subject of her dream and then that she didn't seem surprise to see him there.

"Late last night... you were sleeping… I didn't want to wake you" John told her answering her question. She walked over towards the front window. She looked out. The early morning was still dark. It was a crisp darkness she thought and she heard him speak.

"I went to your uncle... He told me about you and this place… How you come here to feel safe... I hope you don't mind I came... but... I ...I was worried about you and I need to Tell you how sorry I a-"

"How sorry you are that you didn't trust me… see that something was wrong… off… know that I would never do that to you... trust that something like that isn't who I am" She told him her tone raising as she continued to speak. She was now turned looking at him as he was behind her.

John saw her eyes still angry… but ... he saw something else in them.. Something he didn't recognize... fear? He thought at first but then dismissed it for the time being. He put his hand on her shoulder gently as he stood closer to her.

"I… I guess I blew it...Huh??? This... us..." He told her and he saw her turn away from him. She shook her head yes but then started shaking it No as she turned back to face him.

"No… you didn't...No... At first..." She started to say and she paused for a moment " at first when I heard that you saw me… drugged and thought I was Making Love to Simon... yeah… at first I was pretty pissed off... Still am a bit mad but... but I can't hold a grudge for something I've done too. Something I was tricked into believing... All the years ago... I fell for the fake pictures of Chris... and I actually know how it feels to be so hurt that all you want to do is run... lash out… punch something." She told him, as her eyes got teary. He came closer some.

"So then... then we're okay? … alright? ... just like that.." He asked her almost not believing it. She didn't blame him. " We're okay... I'm... not... not at this moment No." She told him and he put his arms around her back and pulled her body close to him. He brought his mouth to her ear and spoke to her softly.

"You're gonna be fine... I'm gonna make sure of it...I Love you Natalie" He told her and she closed her eyes upon hearing his words. She felt his content ness upon her and she wished she could figure out a way to be fine. To forget again not just what occurred with Simon but what was now consuming her brain. What he had just heard consuming her dreams a few minutes ago.

**To be continued...**


	30. End

**Chapter 30**

Natalie leaned her head back on his chest. She closed her eyes and for a minute there she didn't see the images like before. She felt him. His strength. His love. She was beginning to feel content again. Him being near her... being back. Even with all that just happened with Simon. She was beginning to feel good again. Strong again.

"I Love you Natalie..." John said again in her ear and she felt a few tears run down her cheek. She turned to face him. He still had his arms around her. He saw her teary face and he lifted one hand to wipe away her tears.

"I Love you too John… I missed you so much… so much" She told him and she put her head on his chest. He held her there for a few minutes.

"Natalie… Simon… he's going to pay for what he did… I promise you... Simon Fe--"

"John… not now… please… I don't wanna talk any more about Simon... what he could've done to me... its over... I want us to move passed it and be together," She told him and he looked at her for a minute.

"Natalie… we have to talk about him… we need to… you need to find out if he was lying...we need to go back to the hospital so Michael could do a r-" Natalie again cut off his words. And quickly before he even got the words out.

'No!! We don't!! I went to the Clinic just outside Llanview before I came up here… I'm fine… they checked me and he wasn't lying" Natalie said abruptly

"This time" John harped in feeling like she was almost giving Simon a free pass on what he did. What he set out to do.

"John… please... Just hold me... I don't want to talk about Simon… the almost ra-... what he almost did to me. I want to drop it now... " She told him and he was feeling weird for a minute. Something was up. Something more than Simon was bothering her. He thought about asking her about it. But... but he decided not to. She had already been thru so much. He hadn't even told her the good news. The happy news he was just dying to tell her.

Natalie moved back into John's arms and she started to feel a bit queasy... She ignored it for a few minutes. " Natalie... I need to tell you something... Its important and its life changing and ... and well.. I'm pretty excited about it myself... although... a bit scared too. Okay... a lot scared but its all Good babe… its all good" He told her and she started pulling herself off his chest the minute he seemed excited about what ever it was. She just studied his eyes. His happy eyes.

"John... What is it? What has you so… so excited?" She asked him and she felt queasy again. Her stomach… her nerves seem to be moving about making her feel like she needed to throw up. She started for the bathroom knowing she was going to be sick when he blurted it out.

"You're pregnant," He said and she looked at him all green in the face as she was rushing into the bathroom.

John quickly walked in behind her. She was being sick in the toilet bowl and he came behind her and held her hair so it wouldn't fall into the bowl. She turned her head sideways and looked at him.

"What did you say in there?" She asked him and he smiled at her for a few minutes before answering.

"You're pregnant Natalie... it showed up in your blood work at the hospital yesterday..." He told her and she quickly turned to be sick in the toilet again.

She looked straight ahead into the bowl. " No… its not possible.. Michael didn't say a word...No.. It can't be," She said shaking her head no. She then turned to him and he was shaking his head yes. " No!!! I can't be," She said feeling a bit better. She went to the sink and rinsed her mouth out. She looked at him standing behind her thru the bathroom mirror for a minute and then she didn't say a word.

Natalie walked into the other room of the cabin. She was dumbfounded… shocked… there was no way she could be pregnant. None… She was on the pill right?? She insisted to herself when it all came back to her. She had forgotten her pill a lot right before they had sex that first time. She only really started remembering it regularly was when she was getting more and more involved with him. She turned to him. He was just letting her work things out in her head. He was giving her space.

"I can't be John… I ... I ... I'm gonna make a lousy mother... I... I... " She couldn't get any words out. He just reached for her. Pulled her again to his chest and held her. " Natalie… it will be fine.. You'll be a good mother," He told her and she pushed off looking into his eyes. " How do you know? Know I'll be a good mother? I mean… its not like mother Theresa raised me... I mean… I was brought up bad John… I … I don't know how to do it" She told him and he saw her eyes. She was scared. Scared of being a mother or... or was it something else? He questioned but didn't ask.

"Honey... Look at me" John, told her and she looked into his eyes reluctant at first. " You will be an amazing mother... I've seen you with your niece... your wonderful with her... there is no reason to be afraid" he told her and she quieted for a minute. His words soothed her. She relaxed some.

"You really think so?" She asked him insecure " yeah... you will be... be happy about this Natalie… I am" He told her and she smiled weakly at first and then she realized that she would be having a little someone to love. To love her back. Children were something she always wanted. Her smile got brighter. She heard his words and she laughed.

"Seems we'll be getting a second Something Unexpected" He said and she chuckled some as she leaned in for a kiss.

**The End... Sequel to follow… Something So Real**


End file.
